The New York Jets’ season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers was already a spotlight matchup, featuring Aaron Rodgers making his Steelers debut against his former team.
But before the first snap was even taken at MetLife Stadium, a bizarre pregame mishap stole the headlines and lit up social media.
Why Did a Flag Ceremony Go So Wrong?
As a massive 100-yard American flag, weighing around 1,100 pounds, was unfurled for the National Anthem, one person somehow got caught on it. Cameras captured every moment as the individual hilariously crawled their way off the giant flag, drawing laughter from across the stadium.
NFL insider Ari Meirov summed it up simply: “Someone got stuck on the flag.”
The #Jets have a 100-yard USA flag for the National Anthem…
Someone got stuck on the flag 😂😂
(via @momof2boys99)pic.twitter.com/MLZy2oxYx3
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) September 7, 2025
It didn’t take long for social media to pile on, especially at the Jets’ expense. One fan immediately called it a “Typical Jets moment,” while another added, “How does that even happen?”
The confusion kept rolling as one user wrote, “How do you even get stranded out there,” while another echoed the disbelief with a simple, “How?”
Others just saw the humor in the situation. “The NFL is so back,” one fan joked. Another called it peak dysfunction, “What a clown show jets are.” More piled on with, “The Jets are going to Jet, I guess,” before someone else capped off the thread with the perfect punchline, “Only in New York.”
What Does This Game Mean for Aaron Rodgers’ Steelers Debut?
Beyond the flag fiasco, the game itself carried plenty of weight. In a rare twist, the season opener featured starting quarterbacks who had swapped teams from the previous year.
Rodgers, now in black and yellow, returned to the same stadium where his first Jets season ended with a devastating Achilles injury just four plays in two years ago. On the other side, Justin Fields debuted as New York’s starter after a brief but promising stint with Pittsburgh.
MORE: Why Did Aaron Rodgers Leave the Jets? A Look at 4-Time NFL MVP’s Ugly Exit From New York
Both teams also rolled out other fresh faces. DK Metcalf suited up for the Steelers for the first time, while the Jets kicked off the Aaron Glenn era as head coach. The historical context wasn’t in New York’s favor, as the team has lost seven of its last nine season openers. In that same span, Pittsburgh has gone 6-2-1.
For the 41-year-old Rodgers, this stage couldn’t have been more dramatic. His debut with the Jets was supposed to launch a championship run, but it instead turned into what NFL writer Melissa Jacobs told BBC’s Sport Today was “the single most devastating moment for a franchise in NFL history.”
Now, he is back in the same building wearing enemy colors, aiming to prove he still has more left in the tank.
