NFL Forces Rodgers Into Major Change Steelers QB ‘Can't Stand'
NFL Forces Rodgers Into Major Change Steelers QB 'Can't Stand' originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Change can be a hard concept for older players adjusting to the new talent and schemes in the NFL. Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has seen plenty of it in his time at the professional level.
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But one change coming next season has him on edge more than any of those major league-wide shifts. The helmet Rodgers has used for decades, according to his own admission, has been outlawed in favor of a newer model.
Specifically, the Schutt Air XP Q11 will be discontinued across the league with the F7 model taking its place. Rodgers made it clear the adjustment won't come easy for him.
'I can't stand the [new] helmet,' Rodgers said. 'I've worn a Schutt for 20 years and somehow it finally didn't pass the safety standards.'
Certor Sports CEO Jeremy Erspamer, the leader of the company behind the helmet, has heard those complaints and responded with his sympathies.
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'I feel for players like Aaron Rodgers,' Erspamer said. 'He's worn that same helmet model basically his entire career. As he said, he's never been hurt in it. I'm sure it feels like an old friend when he puts it on his head. I completely understand, from a player's perspective, that potentially causing frustration.
Unfortunately, those feelings do not change the reality of his and the NFL's collective commitment to technology to keep athletes safe.
"I also understand the desire of the NFL — and for us, as helmet manufacturers — trying to develop new technology. Technology is evolving probably quicker than most people think. And the ability to protect athletes better comes along with that.'
Rodgers has shown in the last few years that it doesn't take much to make him disagreeable with a franchise. However, the source of his frustration here has some merit.
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There will be no reversal of this decision, however, and Rodgers will have to use the next few months to either find an alternative or make due with these changes.
Related: 'Speed of the Game!' Steelers First-Round Draft Pick Reveals Biggest Adjustment
Related: Aaron Rodgers Changes His Steelers Playbook In Unique and Old-School Way
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 16, 2025, where it first appeared.
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