The first NFL regular-season game in Paris had the kind of headline that writes itself: Aaron Rodgers, on an international stage again, adding another line to a career already packed with them. But the Steelers left France with something more familiar than spectacle — a 16-10 win built on the ground, on defense, and on a game plan that kept New Orleans chasing.
Rodgers became the first quarterback to play in an international game in a different country three straight years, and the Paris trip also came with another piece of recognition back home: he was named Steelers Player of the Week. The numbers fit the honor. He completed 19 of 30 passes for 217 yards, threw one touchdown and no interceptions, and finished with a 95.4 rating.
The milestone list kept growing as the game unfolded. On Pittsburgh’s third drive, Rodgers passed Peyton Manning for sole possession of third place on the NFL’s all-time regular-season passing touchdown list. Earlier this season, he had already moved past former Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger for fifth all-time in regular-season wins by a starting quarterback. He also became the first Steelers quarterback since Terry Bradshaw to throw three touchdown passes in three straight games, and he has now thrown multiple touchdown passes in four straight games for the first time since 2022.
Still, the most revealing part of the afternoon was not Rodgers’ place in the record book. It was how Pittsburgh won.
From the start, the Steelers controlled the trenches and carved out rushing lanes for Jaylen Warren while shutting down the Saints’ ground game. Warren handled 18 carries for 101 yards, averaging 5.6 yards per attempt, and added three catches for 36 yards. New Orleans, by contrast, finished with 18 rushing yards on 17 carries — 1.1 yards per attempt — and never found a way to make the game feel comfortable.
That imbalance showed up in the final score, too. Pittsburgh’s only touchdown came through Rodgers, but the rest of the night was about field position, short fields, and enough defensive resistance to keep the Saints from turning the game into a shootout. The Steelers’ defense also delivered key stops, including a third-quarter interception at the Pittsburgh 11-yard line that wiped out a Saints scoring chance and a late sack that stalled another drive.
The result moved Pittsburgh to 5-2 and kept the Steelers on track in a season that has them chasing a 23rd consecutive non-losing year. It also set up a quick return home, with a rematch against the Browns coming Sunday at Acrisure Stadium.
For Rodgers, Paris added another international first and another statistical marker. For the Steelers, it was a reminder that the bigger story can still be the same one they keep leaning on: a team that can win when the quarterback is productive, but not required to carry everything.