The Pittsburgh Steelers made the decision this offseason to wait several months for Aaron Rodgers. The veteran quarterback was slow to make his own decision, and Pittsburgh’s choice to wait on him was controversial for a large portion of the fan base. Mike Tomlin was a massive factor in the Steelers’ choice to wait, as he and Rodgers have a strong mutual respect for each other.
Just look at Tomlin watching one of Rodgers’ press conferences earlier this week.
Heading into Week 4, that respect hasn’t faded. Rodgers appreciates his relationship with Tomlin, but also recognizes that the head coach gets the final word.
“It doesn’t mean you’re buddies with everybody,” Rodgers said in an interview with Sky Sports posted Friday. “I think the great player coaches, they lead with accountability first. So they’re able to hold everybody accountable. And that happens because of the relationships he has with the guys… He is a players’ coach, but he’s not a pushover by any means. I mean, Mike T is the final gavel in any conversation. It’s been a pleasure working with him”
The relationship between the quarterback and head coach is always the most important one on the roster. For the Steelers, they probably couldn’t have a more qualified duo than the two they have right now. Rodgers has seen and done it all in his two decades in the league, and Steelers fans know first-hand how long Mike Tomlin’s been in his role.
So far, the two have gotten off to a decent start together. It hasn’t all been pretty, and the offense has had plenty of problems. The Steelers can’t run the ball, which has forced them into plenty of third-and-long situations. And once they get there, the Steelers aren’t protecting Rodgers enough to allow him to convert on those opportunities.
That said, Rodgers is starting to prove Tomlin right in his decision. The head coach had confidence Rodgers would eventually sign with the team, enough to avoid the available options in free agency and wait until the sixth round to take a quarterback in the NFL draft.
Rodgers has done well to back that decision up. He’s had a couple ugly throws and has three interceptions through three weeks. But he hasn’t been in the easiest situation with no real run game or pass blocking. He’s been accurate and has led the Steelers on two game-winning drives in three weeks.
The Steelers can’t rely on him to completely carry the offense throughout the year. But he’ll need to continue to play well to give them a chance. That starts with the relationship between Rodgers and Mike Tomlin, which is a great one so far.
