Since becoming a free agent, Aaron Rodgers has only taken one official visit, meeting with Mike Tomlin and the Pittsburgh Steelers in March. News that was broken last second not by the national media but by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac. Rodgers’ goal was to make the meeting as secretive as possible, explaining how he set it up – and how the meeting went – on The Pat McAfee Show.
“I went out to Pittsburgh and tried to do that as quietly as possible,” Rodgers said Thursday. “A lot of people think that I’m desperate for attention, even though I haven’t talked to you or anybody else in three months. But I did fly into a different airport, not the downtown {one]. I got a Malibu rental car, drove the Malibu rental car to the facility, to the backside practice field. Got let in the practice field, and then somebody in the building must have said something.”
Rodgers declined to say what airport he flew into. Presumably a small one. Perhaps it was Arnold Palmer Regional Airport in Latrobe, right across from where the Steelers hold training camp, and made the hour-plus drive into Pittsburgh.
National reporting indicated it was a “last minute” arrangement that caused Mike Tomlin and Omar Khan to skip attending the Michigan Pro Day (though they reportedly flew in the night before for dinner with prospects). The meeting reportedly lasted several hours and went well.
Rodgers shared how the meeting went, praising the Steelers’ coaching staff from top to bottom.
“I’ve talked to Mike Tomlin. He’s more than I even thought from afar as far as the type of person that he is. I have a lot of respect for what he is accomplished in the league,” he said. “Arthur Smith, you guys have had Art on the show many times. Love him. I mean, talk about a guy that doesn’t need to work. Doesn’t need to work. But he is a grinder.”
Rodgers is referring to Smiths’ father, Frederick, the founder and CEO of FedEx with a net worth estimated at $4.9 billon. But Arthur Smith climbed the coaching ladder from grad assistant to positional coach to NFL head coach before landing as the Steelers’ offensive coordinator for the 2024 season.
He also noted an underdiscussed friendship with Steelers quarterbacks coach Tom Arth, noting the two were briefly teammates in Green Bay. Arth was an NFL backup for several seasons, known for his football IQ as a third/fourth-stringer in Indianapolis behind Peyton Manning before spending a few months with Rodgers in Green Bay.
Relatively unfamiliar with the area, Rodgers said it was important to go to Pittsburgh to get a feel for the city and organization.
“Personally, I wanted to see what it was like there. See the facility, get to meet [GM Omar Khan] in person. Just get a glimpse, a snippet of what life would be like in Pittsburgh. So I thought it was important to go see it in person.”
Rodgers spent the front half of the interview discussing his NFL future and noting his focus on his personal life and mental health as he navigates free agency for the first time in his 20-year career.
He also spent part of the interview trashing the New York Jets’ new regime. Rodgers flew to New York for what he expected would be a multi-hour conversation, but it became a terse 15-minute meeting. In contrast, Rodgers spoke highly of Pittsburgh across the board.
Still, Rodgers did not offer a definitive answer in regard to his future. He made clear that his focus is on his personal life ahead of anything football-related. Unsure of his 2025 path, Pittsburgh will wait for him to decide. Like everyone else.
