Week 2 was a disaster for the Pittsburgh Steelers. It was their home opener, and they were looking to start the season at 2-0. Unfortunately, they couldn’t get out of their own way against the Seattle Seahawks as they lost 31-17. Perhaps the biggest moment of the game came when rookie Kaleb Johnson gifted the Seahawks a touchdown on a kickoff in the fourth quarter. That put Seattle up 24-14, and the Steelers never recovered. After the game, Aaron Rodgers had some advice for Johnson.
“Kaleb [Johnson’s] a great kid and this is a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately league,” Rodgers said via the team’s YouTube channel. “When you have success early on, you have to learn how to handle success. And when you deal with adversity, you have to learn how to deal with adversity the right way. You can’t let this get your confidence down, can’t hang your head.
“This is a professional league, and we expect greatness, but we also understand there’s gonna be mistakes and they happen. We’re human and you gotta move on and get better… They’re gonna love you when you’re riding high. They’re gonna try and crush you when you get beat. Can’t let it crush you, crush your spirits. Keep your confidence.”
This is Rodgers’ 21st season in the NFL, so he’s had his fair share of highs and lows. He’s won a Super Bowl, but he’s also been on the wrong side of several big playoff games. He understands what it takes to bounce back from low moments.
Look at Rodgers’ last few seasons for proof. In 2023, his first season with the New York Jets, Rodgers tore his Achilles tendon after only a few plays. In his return to play last season, Rodgers started rough, not looking like himself. However, he battled back, and now he’s still playing like a quality quarterback.
It’s unfortunate, but Johnson has to learn from that play and move on. He’s only got two games under his belt in his NFL career. That play doesn’t have to define him if he doesn’t let it. Was it a massive mistake? Yes, and he’s getting flak for that. However, that gaffe doesn’t mean his NFL career is over.
There’s still a lot of the season left in front of the Steelers. Johnson could eventually get an opportunity to make up for that mistake. Rodgers shows good leadership here, not piling on to all of the negativity surrounding the rookie. Johnson wasn’t the only Steeler who played poorly today, either. Hopefully, he takes Rodgers’ advice and doesn’t let that play drag him down too much.
