Steelers' Mike Tomlin Explains Why Aaron Rodgers is 'Contagious'

Newsweek

5 hours ago

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The Pittsburgh Steelers decided to swing big this offseason, acquiring quarterback Aaron Rodgers, wide receiver D.K. Metcalf and cornerback Jalen Ramsey to help them make a strong Super Bowl push.
Obviously, Rodgers is the biggest name of the bunch, and after a forgettable year with the New York Jets in 2024, the future Hall-of-Famer seems ready to re-establish himself as an elite signal-caller this fall.
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Of course, Rodgers is 41 years old, so there are a whole lot of people doubting whether or not he can still play at a high level. That being said, he did throw for 3,897 yards, 28 touchdowns and 11 interceptions last season, so perhaps the talk of his demise has been largely exaggerated.
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin seems very excited to get things going with Rodgers under center, and he is already appreciating the significant effect that the four-time MVP has had on his teammates.
"He loves football," Tomlin said, via Mike Jones of The Athletic. "That's the thing that's on the tip of my tongue. He displays it daily. He has a love affair with this game — one that he's willing to share with others. He's passionate about it, and I think it's contagious."
Aaron Rodgers #8 of the Pittsburgh Steelers in action during Minicamp at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex on June 11, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Aaron Rodgers #8 of the Pittsburgh Steelers in action during Minicamp at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex on June 11, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Photo byPittsburgh is desperate for playoff success. The franchise has not won a playoff game since January 2017, and that's in spite of making five postseason appearances since then. Poor quarterback play has been a major problem in Steel City for the last several years, so maybe Rodgers can change things?
There is reason to have trepidation when it comes to Rodgers. He really hasn't been great since 2021, when he totaled 37 touchdowns and four picks en route to winning his second straight MVP award with the Green Bay Packers.
He looked very mortal in 2022, missed all but one series of his debut campaign with the Jets in 2023 due to a torn Achilles and went just 5-12 last year.
That being said, there is plenty of reason to still have faith in Rodgers, who looked very impressive for stretches in 2024 and could strongly benefit from playing for a team that has not posted a losing record since 2003.
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Let's face it: no one has been able to succeed with the Jets for the last decade-and-a-half, so maybe, just maybe, Rodgers wasn't the problem there.
The Steelers could definitely afford to add some proven depth at wide receiver, but perhaps Rodgers can get the most out of youngsters like Roman Wilson and Calvin Austin III. And of course, he has Metcalf, too.
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