The Pittsburgh Steelers wrapped up their first minicamp session today with Aaron Rodgers at quarterback, and Rodgers held his first media session since signing after practice. Rodgers explained why he felt that the Steelers were a good fit for him to play his 21st NFL season.
“I think it starts with Mike Tomlin, I’ve been a fan of his for a long time. There’s a few iconic franchises in the NFL, I played for one of them for 18 years, this is another one of those. There’s something special about this area, so many great quarterbacks are from Pittsburgh. I feel like Pittsburgh has been a part of my career from the beginning,” Rodgers said via the team’s YouTube channel.
Rodgers then named all the coaches he’s played for who have been from the Pittsburgh area, including Mike McCarthy, his former head coach with the Packers.
Shortly after it was reported that the Steelers were signing Rodgers, ESPN’s Adam Schefter noted that Tomlin was a big reason why. Rodgers has a lot of respect for Tomlin, and Tomlin has a lot of respect for Rodgers, with the two of them sharing a few moments on the field over the years. Rodgers also spoke highly of Tomlin last season after the Steelers beat the Jets, saying that Tomlin has the “special sauce” to get the best out of his teams.
“There’s only one Mike Tomlin. I would say that first and foremost; you gotta give Mike credit. He’s got a special sauce to think about the way that he coaches,” Rodgers said last December. “I’m just saying this from afar. I haven’t been around him, but I’ve heard, talked to a lot of guys that played for him.”
The two now have a chance to work together for the first time with a common goal of returning the Steelers to Super Bowl contention. After playing most of his career with the storied Green Bay Packers, he joins the Steelers to play for a franchise that is tied with the New England Patriots with the most Super Bowls in NFL history. Having been around so many people from Pittsburgh throughout his career should make the transition to the city natural.
The relationship between Tomlin and Rodgers is going to be a storyline throughout the year, and the two of them can help each other out. Rodgers wants to finish his career strong after a rocky 2024 season with the Jets, while Tomlin needs to get back in the good graces of Steelers fans after not winning a playoff game since 2016. This could be the year both of them get what they want with Aaron Rodgers donning the Black and Gold.
