Baltimore, MD – June 25, 2025
He’s got 55.5 career sacks, a Pro Bowl nod fresh on his résumé, and one nagging memory that refuses to fade. Baltimore Ravens linebacker Kyle Van Noy isn’t just playing for wins this season — he’s coming for Aaron Rodgers. And it’s personal.
Now that the legendary quarterback has joined the Pittsburgh Steelers, Van Noy sees the perfect opening to settle an old score. A decade ago, when Van Noy was with the Lions and Rodgers was slicing defenses in Green Bay, one play left a scar. It was a Cover 0 blitz gone wrong, and Rodgers made them pay with a touchdown strike to Jordy Nelson — followed by a mocking tap on Van Noy’s shoulder that’s replayed in his head ever since. “That moment never left me,” Van Noy has hinted in locker room conversations. “Now he’s in my division.”
Van Noy isn’t coming off a fluke season. He recorded 12.5 sacks in 2024, averaging nearly one per start, anchoring one of the AFC’s most aggressive pass rushes. Rodgers, on the other hand, is stepping into a new chapter in Pittsburgh, but one that won’t come without pressure — literally. He was sacked 40 times last season with the Jets, the most since 2018, and questions about the Steelers’ offensive line remain even as Arthur Smith installs his ground-heavy scheme.
The Ravens defense has taken notice. So has Cleveland’s Myles Garrett, who sees Rodgers’ arrival as a chance to etch another quarterback name into his infamous Halloween gravestones. But no one seems more laser-focused on Rodgers than Van Noy — not for stats, not for headlines, but for that one moment that still burns.
“It’s not just a game when you’ve been waiting ten years for one sack,” a source close to Van Noy noted.
Steelers-Ravens matchups are already must-watch football. This year, they may carry a little extra venom — fueled by pride, history, and a veteran linebacker who’s been waiting far too long for payback.
Stay tuned to ESPN!
