Matt LaFleur breaks down Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady matchup in Week 3

The NFL officially released its full 2022 schedule on Thursday night, giving the Green Bay Packers a full glimpse at the season that awaits. One of the most intriguing matchups on this year’s schedule comes in Week 3, when Aaron Rodgers and the Packers head down to Tampa Bay to take on Tom Brady and the Buccaneers.

Kickoff for the Week 3 matchup is set for 4:25 p.m. ET on Sunday, September 25.

Matchups between Rodgers and Brady are always intriguing. Earlier in the offseason, Rodgers had an uncertain future in Green Bay and Brady at one point retired from playing football. At that point, it looked like we had seen the last matchup between the two quarterbacks. But with Rodgers back in Green Bay and Brady unretiring, Week 3 is a matchup that all eyes will be on.

After the schedule was released, Packers head coach Matt LaFleur explained the significance of the early season matchup against the Buccaneers.

“Yeah, we did play them two years ago twice, and we did play down there and we got smacked pretty good,” LaFleur said on NFL Network. “We’ll definitely have our work cut out for us, they’re a great team, obviously. Adding Tom back into the mix presents a lot of problems for everybody.”

Brady had the last laugh over Rodgers twice in 2020

During the 2020 season, the Packers and Buccaneers faced off once in the regular season and once in the playoffs. In the Week 6 matchup in Tampa Bay, Brady and the Buccaneers cruised by with a convincing 38-10 victory. Brady threw for 166 yards and two touchdowns, while Rodgers threw for 160 yards and two interceptions. In the NFC Championship, Rodgers threw for 346 yards with three touchdowns and an interception. Brady threw for 280 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions, and Tampa Bay advanced to the Super Bowl with a 31-26 win.

Last season, the Buccaneers went 13-4 and won the NFC South with ease. Tampa Bay ultimately fell to the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Divisional Round, falling 30-27. The Packers also went 13-4 in the regular season last year, and won the NFC North. Green Bay struggled in the NFC Divisional Round too, falling 13-10 to the San Francisco 49ers.

Prior to the matchup with Brady and Tampa Bay, Rodgers and the Packers have two NFC North showdowns to kick off the year. Green Bay hits the road in Week 1 to face off against Minnesota before returning home to host the Bears in Week 2.