For three quarters, nothing came easily. Then the veteran quarterback found his rhythm.
Aaron Rodgers threw for 253 yards and two touchdowns as the Pittsburgh Steelers rallied from a deficit of 13 points in the fourth quarter to beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 26 to 19 in overtime on Sunday, Oct. 18, 2026.
What record did Aaron Rodgers tie?
His two touchdown passes gave him 539 for his career, tying Hall of Famer Peyton Manning for third on the NFL’s career list.
Only Drew Brees, with 571, and Tom Brady, with 649, have thrown more. Manning retired after the 2015 season with two Super Bowl titles.
Aaron Rodgers, who is 42, has won four MVP awards. He joined Pittsburgh after a long career with the Green Bay Packers and two seasons with the New York Jets.
How did the Steelers come back?
Slowly at first. Rodgers was sacked five times in the first three quarters and threw an interception in the first quarter that set up the first of four field goals by Tampa Bay’s Chase McLaughlin. Tampa Bay’s defense has played better over the past two games.
Playing without injured receivers Michael Pittman Jr. and Roman Wilson, Pittsburgh did not threaten to score a touchdown until early in the fourth quarter, when Rodgers threw a touchdown pass of 5 yards.
From there, Aaron Rodgers led four scoring drives in the fourth quarter to force overtime.
In overtime, he capped a drive of 12 plays and 70 yards with a touchdown pass of 7 yards to Germie Bernard, giving Pittsburgh the lead for good with 3 minutes, 15 seconds left.
Tampa Bay rookie Jalon Daniels, an undrafted free agent, drove the Bucs to midfield, but Jalen Ramsey sacked him on fourth down at the Pittsburgh 48 for a loss of 11 yards to end the game. Ramsey’s sack sealed Pittsburgh’s first road win of the season.
Aaron Rodgers finished 33 of 49. His streak of three straight games with three touchdown passes ended.
Why did Aaron Rodgers call it a trajectory win?
He said moments like this are the most important for a team trying to grow. Pittsburgh entered the day undefeated at home but winless in two road games.
Rodgers said falling to three wins and three losses before a trip to Paris was not what the team wanted. Beating a team it should beat and winning its first road game were essential if the Steelers want to reach their goals, he said.
The Steelers now have four wins and two losses, while Tampa Bay has one win and five losses. Tampa Bay is starting a rookie quarterback as it tries to turn its season around.
What happened to Mike McCarthy?
McCarthy, the Steelers head coach, spent halftime in the injury tent after someone stepped on his foot along the Pittsburgh sideline, leaving him with a sore ankle.
He limped toward the locker room before heading back to the tent behind the bench. He returned for the start of the third quarter and finished the game, saying he communicated with the locker room from the tent.
What is next for Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers?
Pittsburgh faces the New Orleans Saints next Sunday in Paris. The NFL has said the game will go on despite civil unrest in France. Concerns about the security situation drew attention in the days before the trip, but the league has kept the game on its schedule.
With the Manning mark matched, Aaron Rodgers needs 32 more touchdown passes to catch Brees for second place. At his current pace, he could make a run at that mark if he plays beyond this season.
