New England Patriots QB Drake Maye said on Wednesday that Pittsburgh Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers, his counterpart on Sunday, is a player that he’s modeled his game after. In particular, Maye praised Rodgers’ cadence, one of the veteran quarterback’s best traits, as one of the things he likes watching from Rodgers. Maye isn’t alone. Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels said on Thursday that Rodgers’ cadence is something that every quarterback he’s worked with has envied.
“Aaron Rodgers is one of the greatest of all time to do a lot of things. And the cadence would be a very small part of that. But I’m not sure I’ve ever met a quarterback that didn’t envy the way he uses the cadences and the way he uses it to try to manipulate the defense and affect the game,” McDaniels said in his press conference via the team’s website.
McDaniels has been around the league for a long time and worked with numerous quarterbacks, chiefly Tom Brady. Brady said before the season that he thought 2025 could be a big year for Rodgers. And it’s no surprise that quarterbacks want to emulate Rodgers. The cadence is an underrated aspect of quarterbacking. It’s a way to toy with defenders’ minds and try to give the offense an advantage. Whether it’s catching guys flat-footed or getting them to jump offsides, something Rodgers does well, it’s an essential tool to winning a play and a game.
It’s also something that doesn’t go away with age. Rodgers may not have the same mobility that he used to. But he can still mess with a defense like he did when he was a perennial MVP candidate.
As McDaniels said, Rodgers is one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. And sure, the cadence may not be the reason why. His arm talent, his accuracy, and overall football IQ all stand out as traits that only the best quarterbacks ever have. But being able to manipulate the defense is a skill, and it’s one that Rodgers still possesses. It’s one that quarterbacks around the league should aspire to have. But it’s not as easy as Rodgers makes it appear.
Even the Steelers’ offensive line had to prepare for Rodgers’ unique cadence this offseason. It’s a legitimate skill, one that has allowed him to play quarterback at a fairly high level at age 41.
