Aaron Rodgers isn’t just focused on himself. Knowing he is almost certainly going into the final year of his career, his aim is to leave the franchise better than he entered it. That means helping a potential succession plan, or at the least give a rookie like QB Will Howard as much information as possible to help him thrive should the keys be handed to him.
Joining The Pat McAfee Show Tuesday, Rodgers discussed the line between not “overstepping” boundaries of the new quarterback in town while still sharing the knowledge of a future Hall of Famer.
“There’s still a part of earning your stripes and paying your dues,” Rodgers told the show. “Even though I come in with that past and that background, I think it’s important to come in with humility. As we get into this, I want to help those guys out. Mason [Rudolph] has played a lot of football, so has [Skylar Thompson]. But Will’s a rookie. I pulled him aside during one of the days and said, ‘Listen, I want to help you as much as possible. But I’m not going to overstep my bounds. If you want assistance, I’m here buddy.'”
Rodgers added it would be an “incredible achievement” if he could help Howard progress during his rookie season.
While Rodgers says he’s careful not to cross a line, Howard seems willing to embrace every bit of his tutelage.
“Being with Aaron the last couple of days is surreal,” Howard said during mandatory minicamp earlier this month. “He couldn’t be a better guy; he’s so knowledgeable.”
Rodgers’ comments run counter to the narrative of him being an unwilling mentor. But in reality, Rodgers had a good relationship with Jordan Love in Green Bay and Zach Wilson credited Rodgers for helping him during their 2023 season together, though it was cut short by Rodgers’ injury that often had him rehabbing away from the team.
Though the two have been teammates for less than a month, Howard’s play is already catching Rodgers’ eye.
“I was impressed by him. I thought he looked really sharp,” Rodgers said. “He made a bunch of great throws. I think there’s definitely some things I can help him with.”
Howard fell to the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, proving to be strong value for a Pittsburgh team that passed in early rounds on drafting a quarterback, focusing on its defensive front seven instead. In his lone year at Ohio State, Howard led the Buckeyes to a national championship, playing his best football during the playoffs to bounce back from tough regular-season losses to Oregon and Michigan.
“The opportunity to help Will out is one I’m really looking forward to,” Rodgers said.
The four-time NFL MVP added that the chance to teach isn’t exclusive to the quarterbacks behind him on the depth chart.
“I told the guys in the first meeting, ‘I want to pass on my knowledge,'” Rodgers said. “‘I played 20 years. And I want to share those experiences with you guys. With whoever wants to learn. Offense, defense, [special teams]. About life, about football.'”
The Steelers have a young offense and are looking for leadership from Rodgers. It’s a role he isn’t shying away from. The focus will be on Rodgers’ play itself, that’s how Pittsburgh’s season will be defined, but his impact could linger beyond the 2025 season.
