Locals in the NFL: Jordan Love, Packers get best of Rodgers, Steelers in prime time

AROUND THE SHIELD — There was plenty of love between the Green Bay Packers' current starting quarterback and former great Aaron Rodgers, who hosted his old team Sunday night at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh — from pregame warmups to a postgame embrace (and jersey exchange "at a later time").

But between the whistles, Jordan Love showed why the team located at 1265 Lombardi Avenue in Green Bay wasn't afraid to turn the page on one of the franchise's great quarterbacks.

Love completed 29-of-37 passes for 360 yards and three touchdowns with no sacks taken as the Packers overturned a 9-point halftime deficit en route to a 35-25 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday Night Football.

Yeah, it was all love (no pun intended) Sunday night. But Love knew what Sunday's game meant.

"There's that added level of pressure," said Love, whom the Packers drafted in the first round in 2020 to eventually succeed Rodgers. "I knew coming into this week that this would be a very hyped game, for A-Rod playing against the Packers for the first time.

"My mindset was just to come out here and focus on getting that win. Try to block all that out," Love added. "but I definitely knew coming into the week what this week entailed."

He also completed a 2-point conversion, and at one point completed 20 consecutive passes in the victory for Green Bay, which outscored Pittsburgh 28-3 until the final two minutes en route to the 5-1-1 start.

Love had a 100% adjusted completion rate in the second half, according to Pro Football Focus, throwing for 214 yards and two touchdowns with a 148.7 passer rating.

"He was on fire; that's why I wanted him to keep throwing the football," Packers head coach Matt LaFleur said.

Love's 20 consecutive passes tied former Packers great Brett Favre's franchise record for consecutive pass completions and the most since 2007. The former Utah State standout found tight end Tucker Kraft on National Tight Ends Day seven times for 143 yards and two touchdowns, including 131 yards after the catch.

"I'm just trying to play my game," Love said. "Being behind A-Rod for three years, being able to see him and the high-level play he was capable of doing … was very cool for me to see. For me, it comes down to just trying to be the best quarterback I can be for this team.

Still, Love made sure to give his flowers to Rodgers, who completed 24-of-36 passes for 219 yards and two touchdowns without an interception, including a 21-yard strike just before the two-minute timeout that cut the deficit to 10 points before the comeback fell short and the two signal callers with a combined storied history in Packers green embraced at midfield.

"It was quick; I just said, good game. Keep going the rest of the season, and stay healthy," Love said. "I've got a lot of love for him."

Here's a look at how other former Utah college and high school football players performed in Week 8 of the NFL's 2025 regular season.

Monday Night Football

Kansas City 28, Washington 7

Chiefs (5-3)

• Kingsley Suamataia, OG, BYU/Orem High: Started at left guard
• Jalen Royals, WR, Utah State: Inactive for Week 8
• Jeffrey Bassa, LB, Kearns High (via Oregon): Reserve linebacker had three tackles and a forced fumble on defense, added a tackle on special teams

Commanders (3-5)

• Matt Gay, K, Utah/UVU/Orem: Inactive for Week 8
• Bobby Wagner, LB, Utah State: Starting linebacker had 10 tackles and an interception

Sunday Night Football

Green Bay 35, Pittsburgh 25

Packers (5-1-1)

• Jordan Love, QB, Utah State: Starting quarterback completed 29-of-37 passes for 360 yards and three touchdowns with no sacks taken and a 2-point conversion
• Zayne Anderson, S, BYU/Stansbury High: Reserve safety recovered a fumbled punt on special teams
• Chris Brooks, RB, BYU: Reserve running back also played on special teams

Steelers (4-3)

• Jaylen Warren, RB, Utah State/Snow/East High (via Oklahoma State): Starting running back had team-high 13 carries for 62 yards, caught two passes for 11 yards
• Miles Killebrew, RB, Southern Utah: Placed on injured reserve (knee)

Sunday afternoon

Miami 34, Atlanta 10

Falcons (3-4)

• Tyler Allgeier, RB, BYU: Reserve running back had four carries for 4 yards, including a 6-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter, and caught two passes for 10 yards
• Kaden Elliss, LB, Judge Memorial (via Idaho): Starting linebacker had team-high 12 tackles with two tackles for loss and a pass defended

Dolphins (2-6)

• Zach Wilson, QB, BYU/Corner Canyon High: Reserve quarterback completed one pass for no gain

Baltimore 30, Chicago 16

Ravens (2-5)

• Tyler Huntley, QB, Utah: Starting quarterback completed 17-of-22 passes for 186 yards with a touchdown and two sacks taken, ran for 53 yards on eight carries
• Kyle Van Noy, LB, BYU: Starting linebacker made two tackles, including a tackle for loss, and a quarterback hit
• Alohi Gilman, S, Orem High (via Notre Dame): Starting safety had four tackles and a pass defended on defense; added one tackle on special teams

Bears (4-3)

• Braxton Jones, OT, Southern Utah/Murray High: Placed on injured reserve (knee)
• Noah Sewell, LB, Orem High (via Oregon): Reserve linebacker made five tackles on defense

Buffalo 40, Carolina 9

Bills (5-2)

• Cole Bishop, S, Utah: Starting safety had team-high seven tackles
• Dalton Kincaid, TE, Utah: Reserve tight end caught one pass for 23 yards
• Mitch Wishnowsky, P, Utah: Punted three times for 146 yards (48.7 yards per punt) with two punts downed inside the 20
• Jackson Hawes, TE, Highland High (via Georgia Tech/Yale): Starting tight end caught two passes for 15 yards
• Taron Johnson, CB, Weber State: Reserve cornerback made four tackles

Panthers (4-4)

• Brady Christensen, OL, BYU/Bountiful High: Starting right guard made a tackle on a fumble return before leaving with an injury (Achilles)

New York 39, Cincinnati 38

Jets (1-7)

• Jay Tufele, DT, Bingham High (via USC): Inactive for Week 8

Bengals (3-5)

• Ryan Rehkow, P, BYU: Punted three times for 174 yards (58.0 yards per punt)

Houston 26, San Francisco 15

Texans (3-4)

• Dalton Schultz, TE, Bingham High (via Stanford): Reserve tight end caught two passes for 24 yards

49ers (5-3)

• No locals on the active roster

New England 32, Cleveland 13

Patriots (6-2)

• Khyiris Tonga, DT, BYU/Granger High: Starting defensive lineman made two tackles including a tackle for loss

Browns (2-6)

• Mohamoud Diabate, LB, Utah: Reserve linebacker had four tackles, a tackle for loss, and a forced fumble on defense; and a tackle on special teams

Philadelphia 38, New York 20

Eagles (6-2)

• Cameron Latu, TE, Olympus High (via Alabama): Reserve tight end made one tackle on special teams

Giants (2-6)

• Jaxson Dart, QB, Corner Canyon/Roy High (via Ole Miss): Starting quarterback completed 14-of-24 passes for 193 yards and a touchdown, ran for 17 yards and a touchdown on six carries with five sacks taken

Tampa Bay 23, New Orleans 3

Buccaneers (6-2)

• No locals on the active roster

Saints (1-7)

• Michael Davis, CB, BYU: Reserve cornerback also played on special teams
• Taysom Hill, QB, BYU: Reserve quarterback ran for 6 yards on two carries, caught one pass for 6 yards
• Terrell Burgess, S, Utah: Reserve safety made one tackle on defense, another on special teams
• Nephi Sewell, LB, Utah/Desert Hills: Elevated from practice squad
• Devaughn Vele, WR, Utah: Starting wide receiver caught one pass (on five targets) for 10 yards
• Rashid Shaheed, WR/RS, Weber State: Starting wide receiver caught game-high nine passes for 75 yards, returned one punt for 8 yards with two fair catches
• Jonah Williams, DE, Weber State: Inactive for Week 8

Denver 44, Dallas 24

Broncos (6-2)

• Garett Bolles, OT, Utah/Snow/Westlake High: Started at left tackle
• Jonah Elliss, LB, Utah: Reserve linebacker made two tackles
• Karene Reid, LB, Utah/Timpview High: Reserve linebacker made one tackle

Cowboys (3-4-1)

• No locals on the active roster

Indianapolis 38, Tennessee 14

Colts (7-1)

• No locals on the active roster

Titans (1-7)

• Cody Barton, LB, Utah/Brighton High: Starting linebacker had three tackles, including a tackle for loss and a pass defended

Thursday Night Football

Los Angeles 37, Minnesota 10

Chargers (5-3)

• Andre James, OC, Herriman High (via UCLA): Reserve center played eight snaps on special teams

Vikings (3-4)

• Tyler Batty, LB, BYU/Payson High: Reserve linebacker had three tackles with two tackles for loss in 28 defensive snaps, added 27 snaps on special teams

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