GREEN BAY (NBC26) — Green Bay Packers fans gathered at local establishments Sunday to watch their team take on the Pittsburgh Steelers in what marked a historic moment – former Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers sitting on the opposite sideline for the first time ever.
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At Richard Cranium's Bar on South Broadway, the game day spirit remained strong despite the team playing nearly 700 miles away. The venue featured live music, grilled baked potatoes and the familiar energy that defines football Sundays in Titletown.
"This is football country. This city is built off of football," said Claude Robinson, a volunteer at the event.
For longtime Packers fan Elise Boxleitner, the team represents more than just football – it's about community connection.
"It's a hometown team, where you do, you feel like everybody is close to one another and that's the whole reason. Like, I could never give up my Packers," Boxleitner said.
The presence of Rodgers on the opposing sideline created mixed emotions for fans.
"He's always going to be part of the history of the Packers, but the same time, right now, he's kind of the enemy when it comes to the game. But, we're always going to love him," Boxleitner said.
Don Mjelde, owner of Richard Cranium's, has operated the establishment for 13 years and continues finding new ways to celebrate the green and gold, especially during significant matchups.
"I think Aaron had a great career here, I think everybody loves that we have Love as a quarterback now and I think that it's a great game to bring together the camaraderie and the synergy that has been the Packers," Mjelde said.
The welcoming nature of Green Bay was evident to newcomer Anthony Gantt, who moved to the area from South Carolina over the summer but still supported the Packers on Sunday.
"There's nice people here. We really love the area, mainly because of the people," Gantt said.
Beyond game day festivities, Richard Cranium's demonstrated the community spirit that defines northeast Wisconsin by raising money Sunday to help a regular customer with medical expenses following a recent stroke.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
