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The Herald Scotland
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
Mike Tomlin and Aaron Rodgers are desperate to win big again
And the same can be said for Mike Tomlin. Yep, Rodgers and Tomlin are joined at the hip for this mission to roll back the clock and pursue championship glory - and are also two desperate reasons why this has a chance. Hey, they both need each other like to try. Go ahead, fire away. It's fair game. Rodgers is 41 and hasn't won a playoff game since the 2020 campaign, way back in his Green Bay Packers life. Tomlin has never had a losing season in 18 years but hasn't sniffed a playoff victory since 2016. As they stand now, doubted and embattled, embattled and doubted, the setbacks both endured in recent years have provided quite the common denominator to fuel a bond. Having once sat atop the NFL mountaintop, it has undoubtedly eaten at Rodgers and Tomlin that over so many years they have been unable reach that height again. Rodgers won a Super Bowl before he earned any of his four NFL MVP awards and that's been that. Tomlin took the Steelers to two Super Bowls in his first four seasons, winning the crown in his second year, and that's been that. It's been a minute since the 2010 season when, ironically, Rodgers led the Pack over the Steelers in Super Bowl 45. Back then, who knew (besides Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes) that it would be the last time we'd see either of these alpha males on a Super Bowl stage. So, look at them now. Together they can dream of chasing confetti again. Of course, it's a huge dream that will take much more than determined synergy from the two most crucial pieces for any NFL team - the quarterback and head coach. And that's even before considering a treacherous AFC field that includes Mahomes and Andy Reid, Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson. And then some. Yet at least Rodgers and Tomlin have a boost of hope in each other. And a connection that has been built over years with mutual respect. The connection, too, has been strengthened in recent months as Rodgers contemplated his future and the outside noise swirled. They talked at least once a week. Winners and losers of Aaron Rodgers' deal with Steelers? Oh so many questions Rodgers, after two disastrous seasons with the New York Jets, doesn't sign up for the one-year hitch with the Steelers unless he felt it was possible they could position themselves as a contender, of which he can have much influence. If Brady, then 43, can win a Super Bowl in his first season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2020), then maybe... The Steelers have significant pieces in place, including new big-play wideout DK Metcalf, star edge rusher T.J. Watt (pending contract) and all-pro D-tackle Cam Heyward. Tomlin's presence, which includes tapping into the locker room pulse on a Bill Parcells level, may have been the clincher for Rodgers wanting to come aboard. Tomlin, who struck out with Russell Wilson (and Justin Fields) last season, sees Rodgers as the fiery competitor eager to win now - at least for now as the one-year commitment indicates. Add a below-market contract that would still pay less than $20 million if all incentives are met and GM Omar Khan gets a bit more salary cap flexibility to stay aggressive with a talent hunt that could, well, strengthen the cast around Rodgers. Sure, Rodgers will drill down with O-coordinator Arthur Smith to craft a system that increases chances to succeed. No negative there. In fact, it may do wonders for Smith's rep, too, given the struggles with Pittsburgh's offense in 2024. Rodgers has long been regarded as having one of the NFL's sharpest minds, having deciphered virtually every blitz and coverage imaginable over two decades. That expertise matters. Never mind the narrative that they've lost too many offseason practice reps. Remember, Brett Favre came out of retirement in 2009 and joined the Minnesota Vikings on August led them to the NFC title game. Here's to patience. For much of the offseason, as the NFL universe waited on Rodgers to commit to a 21st season, Tomlin showed no hint of frustration that a deal wasn't struck months ago. The noise from critics was persistent, with suggestions that Rodgers was stringing the Steelers along balanced by suggestions that Pittsburgh should have dropped its pursuit. Pressed by reporters this spring about needing a hard deadline for a decision by Rodgers, Tomlin on multiple occasions said something about training camp. It sounded witty, like a good one-liner that left 'em laughing. 'I wish he'd have retired already': Some Steelers fans hate Aaron Rodgers signing Turns out, this week's three-day minicamp represents the last organized activity until Steelers players report for training camp in Latrobe, Penn. on July 23. Tomlin's training camp reference wasn't far off. Yet it's deeper than that. Although Rodgers reportedly had interest in the Vikings, Tomlin knew, too, that he needed time. In addition to weighing retirement, Rodgers has dealt with personal matters that included illnesses of people in his inner circle. Football aside, Tomlin understood. While Tomlin, like many coaches, can be brash, direct and boisterous - and loaded with catchy slogans - that persona may eclipse his gift for connecting with his players as people. And that will include the eccentric Rodgers. That's essential to the rich culture that Tomlin has developed. Of course, there's a Tomlin mantra that sums it up: "We want volunteers, not hostages." The Steelers have had their share of malcontents, yet personnel decisions over the years (as in move on) illustrate how serious they are in protecting a no-nonsense environment. After two years with the Jets, Rodgers is one high-profile volunteer. You can't blame him if he feels relieved. He was cut from the franchise that owns the NFL's longest playoff drought at 14 seasons, the futility wrapped with instability. They're on their eighth coach in 25 years. Tomlin, meanwhile, is Pittsburgh's third coach in 56 years. Yet all that stability comes with a different type of pressure, which Rodgers eagerly accepts in joining forces. Finally. Follow Jarrett Bell on social media: @JarrettBell
USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Mike Tomlin and Aaron Rodgers are desperate to win big again. They are a perfect match
Mike Tomlin and Aaron Rodgers are desperate to win big again. They are a perfect match Show Caption Hide Caption Greg Olsen believes Travis Kelce 'controls how he leaves the game' Former NFL tight end Greg Olsen has high praise for Travis Kelce and shares when he believes Travis Kelce will eventually retire from the NFL. Sports Seriously PITTSBURGH – Aaron Rodgers is here. Finally. No, there's no pressure (yeah, right) as the Hall of Fame-credentialed icon makes his 'offseason debut' for the Pittsburgh Steelers at a not-so-ho-hum minicamp on Tuesday. All Rodgers needs to do is turn a storied NFL franchise into a championship contender again. And the same can be said for Mike Tomlin. Yep, Rodgers and Tomlin are joined at the hip for this mission to roll back the clock and pursue championship glory – and are also two desperate reasons why this has a chance. Hey, they both need each other like crazy…enough to try. Go ahead, fire away. It's fair game. Rodgers is 41 and hasn't won a playoff game since the 2020 campaign, way back in his Green Bay Packers life. Tomlin has never had a losing season in 18 years but hasn't sniffed a playoff victory since 2016. As they stand now, doubted and embattled, embattled and doubted, the setbacks both endured in recent years have provided quite the common denominator to fuel a bond. Having once sat atop the NFL mountaintop, it has undoubtedly eaten at Rodgers and Tomlin that over so many years they have been unable reach that height again. Rodgers won a Super Bowl before he earned any of his four NFL MVP awards and that's been that. Tomlin took the Steelers to two Super Bowls in his first four seasons, winning the crown in his second year, and that's been that. It's been a minute since the 2010 season when, ironically, Rodgers led the Pack over the Steelers in Super Bowl 45. Back then, who knew (besides Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes) that it would be the last time we'd see either of these alpha males on a Super Bowl stage. So, look at them now. Together they can dream of chasing confetti again. Of course, it's a huge dream that will take much more than determined synergy from the two most crucial pieces for any NFL team – the quarterback and head coach. And that's even before considering a treacherous AFC field that includes Mahomes and Andy Reid, Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson. And then some. Yet at least Rodgers and Tomlin have a boost of hope in each other. And a connection that has been built over years with mutual respect. The connection, too, has been strengthened in recent months as Rodgers contemplated his future and the outside noise swirled. They talked at least once a week. Winners and losers of Aaron Rodgers' deal with Steelers? Oh so many questions Rodgers, after two disastrous seasons with the New York Jets, doesn't sign up for the one-year hitch with the Steelers unless he felt it was possible they could position themselves as a contender, of which he can have much influence. If Brady, then 43, can win a Super Bowl in his first season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2020), then maybe… The Steelers have significant pieces in place, including new big-play wideout DK Metcalf, star edge rusher T.J. Watt (pending contract) and all-pro D-tackle Cam Heyward. Tomlin's presence, which includes tapping into the locker room pulse on a Bill Parcells level, may have been the clincher for Rodgers wanting to come aboard. Tomlin, who struck out with Russell Wilson (and Justin Fields) last season, sees Rodgers as the fiery competitor eager to win now – at least for now as the one-year commitment indicates. Add a below-market contract that would still pay less than $20 million if all incentives are met and GM Omar Khan gets a bit more salary cap flexibility to stay aggressive with a talent hunt that could, well, strengthen the cast around Rodgers. Sure, Rodgers will drill down with O-coordinator Arthur Smith to craft a system that increases chances to succeed. No negative there. In fact, it may do wonders for Smith's rep, too, given the struggles with Pittsburgh's offense in 2024. Rodgers has long been regarded as having one of the NFL's sharpest minds, having deciphered virtually every blitz and coverage imaginable over two decades. That expertise matters. Never mind the narrative that they've lost too many offseason practice reps. Remember, Brett Favre came out of retirement in 2009 and joined the Minnesota Vikings on August 18…and led them to the NFC title game. Here's to patience. For much of the offseason, as the NFL universe waited on Rodgers to commit to a 21st season, Tomlin showed no hint of frustration that a deal wasn't struck months ago. The noise from critics was persistent, with suggestions that Rodgers was stringing the Steelers along balanced by suggestions that Pittsburgh should have dropped its pursuit. Pressed by reporters this spring about needing a hard deadline for a decision by Rodgers, Tomlin on multiple occasions said something about training camp. It sounded witty, like a good one-liner that left 'em laughing. 'I wish he'd have retired already': Some Steelers fans hate Aaron Rodgers signing Turns out, this week's three-day minicamp represents the last organized activity until Steelers players report for training camp in Latrobe, Penn. on July 23. Tomlin's training camp reference wasn't far off. Yet it's deeper than that. Although Rodgers reportedly had interest in the Vikings, Tomlin knew, too, that he needed time. In addition to weighing retirement, Rodgers has dealt with personal matters that included illnesses of people in his inner circle. Football aside, Tomlin understood. While Tomlin, like many coaches, can be brash, direct and boisterous – and loaded with catchy slogans – that persona may eclipse his gift for connecting with his players as people. And that will include the eccentric Rodgers. That's essential to the rich culture that Tomlin has developed. Of course, there's a Tomlin mantra that sums it up: 'We want volunteers, not hostages.' The Steelers have had their share of malcontents, yet personnel decisions over the years (as in move on) illustrate how serious they are in protecting a no-nonsense environment. After two years with the Jets, Rodgers is one high-profile volunteer. You can't blame him if he feels relieved. He was cut from the franchise that owns the NFL's longest playoff drought at 14 seasons, the futility wrapped with instability. They're on their eighth coach in 25 years. Tomlin, meanwhile, is Pittsburgh's third coach in 56 years. Yet all that stability comes with a different type of pressure, which Rodgers eagerly accepts in joining forces. Finally. Follow Jarrett Bell on social media: @JarrettBell
USA Today
05-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Steelers schedule: Aaron Rodgers set to face Jets, Packers in 2025
Steelers schedule: Aaron Rodgers set to face Jets, Packers in 2025 Show Caption Hide Caption Mike Greenberg talks New York Jets, Justin Fields and Aaron RodgersMike Greenberg talks New York Jets, Justin Fields and Aaron Rodgers Mackenzie Salmon chats with ESPN commentator Mike Greenberg about a variety of sports topics and his continued efforts to bring awareness to AFib. Sports Seriously Pittsburgh Steelers' quarterback, Aaron Rodgers. Get used to hearing that. The future NFL Hall of Famer is taking his talents to the Steel City, hoping to chase down that elusive second Lombardi Trophy. It wasn't a foregone conclusion the 41-year-old would play in 2025, but Rodgers has decided to lace them up at least one more time. With the signing, it now begs the question – who will Rodgers face off against with his new team? Along with the rest of the league, Pittsburgh's schedule was announced in May, finalizing the order of the Steelers' opponents for the 2025 season. Better yet, it includes a couple of teams that Rodgers is familiar with. The four-time MVP will take on the Green Bay Packers for the first time since he departed the organization two years ago. Rodgers famously hoisted his first and only Lombardi as a member of the Packers after defeating the Steelers in Super Bowl 45. While the game won't come with as much intrigue given it's set to be played in Pittsburgh, Rodgers will get to see former protégé, Jordan Love, along with plenty of former teammates and coaches. The New York Jets, the team Rodgers left Green Bay for, are also on the schedule. While there is a new regime in place, the Steelers are set to travel to MetLife Stadium for that matchup to start the season. Rodgers experienced a lot in his two seasons there, notably tearing his Achilles on the turf in his first game, which set the tone for the quarterback's time in green and white. Pittsburgh is set to have a number of great matchups in 2025. Here is who Rodgers and the Steelers will battle this season. Pittsburgh Steelers schedule 2025 Steelers opponents 2025 Home Away
USA Today
10-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Signing Aaron Rodgers is wrong move for Pittsburgh Steelers at this point
Signing Aaron Rodgers is wrong move for Pittsburgh Steelers at this point | Opinion Show Caption Hide Caption What is Aaron Rodgers' future? Mina Kimes weighs in ESPN analyst Mina Kimes shares her thoughts on what is to come of Aaron Rodgers' NFL career. Sports Seriously The Pittsburgh Steelers' 'Stairway to Seven' remains unfinished more than 16 years into its construction. Meanwhile, Aaron Rodgers has yet to reach what he desires on his – let's call it a 'Step Stool to Two'? – 14 years after capturing a ring in his lone Super Sunday appearance, ironically denying the Steelers their seventh Lombardi Trophy when his Green Bay Packers prevailed in Super Bowl 45. But is a long-awaited shotgun marriage between one of the NFL's flagship franchises and, arguably, one of the five best quarterbacks to ever play the game truly going to help both achieve the next step each party is so eager to take? Or should a 41-year-old player coming off what was probably the worst full season of his 20-year career and/or a franchise that's been mired in mediocrity – at best – at the most important position in professional sports perhaps not show up at the altar? Two months on since Rodgers reached free agency for the first time and since the Steelers began actively retooling their roster for 2025, it's still not clear what either side will do – which has only engendered mounting questions. 'I don't get it. Old guys, they don't get better. They get worse. And all the headaches (Rodgers) brings?' former New York Giants vice president of player personnel Marc Ross told USA TODAY Sports when asked about the situation. 'Now Pittsburgh, you're just signing him for his name. You're not even signing him for anything else. He gives you no chance to win, he gives you no chance to compete against the good teams. And he's gonna be a pain in the ass – you're dealing with drama right now with the guy, and he's not even on your team. 'It just baffles me. It really absolutely baffles me.' For their part, the Steelers have been patiently waiting on Rodgers, NFL Network reporting he already has the parameters of a contract in place with Pittsburgh. Rodgers revealed on 'The Pat McAfee Show' last month that he'd spoken with the Steelers, Giants and Minnesota Vikings but that retirement remains on the table as he deals with serious matters – without providing details – in his personal life. Maybe he should continue focusing on those given his apparent reluctance to commit to Pittsburgh – not to mention the likelihood he would only play another year or two at a time when his job options in the league have clearly diminished. And, unlike his last team, the New York Jets, Rodgers has little familiarity with the Steelers' offense, players or coaches – yet that still hasn't spurred him to get to Western Pennsylvania and become familiarized with them during the team's offseason activities. And perhaps a more sensible landing spot arises for him in the coming months if a less-flawed contender suddenly finds itself with a serious problem due to an injury or other unforeseen quarterback circumstances. As for the Steelers? I opined during preseason last summer that they would be best served to start Justin Fields while cultivating the 25-year-old's development rather than spin their wheels with declining Russell Wilson. They belatedly saw the light, trying to re-sign Fields in March, per reports, but lost him to the Jets after ending the 2024 season on a five-game losing streak (playoffs included) – all but one of those defeats a blowout – with Wilson at the helm. So why go down a similar road now? NFL POWER RANKINGS Where all 32 teams stand following the 2025 draft Since the start of the 2017 season, the Steelers have lived just north of ordinary, averaging 10 wins over that period – but without a single playoff victory, that stretch coinciding with the marked decline and eventual retirement (after the 2021 season) of two-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and an ongoing inability to sufficiently replace him. Longtime backup Mason Rudolph, who has 19 NFL starts – most coming in place of Big Ben – is the only quarterback currently on Pittsburgh's roster with any semblance of NFL experience. 'It is a weird spot that they find themselves in. I think they obviously recognize, too, that they're kinda like stuck between a rock and a hard place – otherwise known as purgatory in the NFL,' Louis Riddick, a former NFL personnel executive who's now an analyst for ESPN, told USA TODAY Sports. 'This is why when you miss at that position, it can screw up everything – it has such a huge trickle-down effect. Such a huge trickle-down effect. … Where do you go from here? It's really hard for them. Do they really want to go through a year with just Mason? Do you really think that (sixth-rounder) Will Howard is gonna become the find of the '25 draft? 'It all starts from just not being able to find Ben's successor. This is just an absolute, classic case of why it's so important to have some stability and some success at quarterback – because when you don't get it, you're just ice skating uphill trying to get everything else to go right.' And what could go wrong with Rodgers, whose Achilles gave out after four plays in 2023? Then the Jets were so disjointed last season, that they incrementally fired their coaches and GM Joe Douglas before dismissing Rodgers once their new regime was hired. And while he played better at the end of the 2024 campaign, is Rodgers really going to elevate Pittsburgh to a notably superior level that Rudolph or immediate predecessors like Wilson, Fields and now-departed 2022 first-rounder Kenny Pickett couldn't? 'He doesn't make them better than what the Justin Fields-Russell Wilson combination gave them last year,' said Ross, now an NFL Network analyst. 'And for what he's gonna bring as far as the distractions?' Adds Riddick: 'I really do think the grand plan all along was for them to have this Aaron Rodgers thing sewn up long ago. … Now it's just kinda like, 'What the hell are they trying to do? What is the plan?' 'It takes away from the team-building aspect in a very significant way. … His not signing is screwing up everything they're trying to get done.' My advice to the Steelers? Move on – and don't start mortgaging assets to acquire Kirk Cousins from the Atlanta Falcons, either. Pittsburgh is already in the midst of a muddled offseason, making an aggressive trade with the Seattle Seahawks for wideout DK Metcalf before exporting receiver George Pickens earlier this week – a move that oddly came after the 2025 draft, meaning the Steelers won't get players in return that can help them for at least a year. Like every other NFL team, the Steelers also passed multiple times on former University of Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders in the draft, even though he probably has a much better chance to become a long-term NFL starter than Howard. Additionally, Pittsburgh must address the contract of four-time All-Pro pass rusher T.J. Watt, 30, who's in a walk year. 2025 NFL DRAFT GRADES Ranking all 32 teams' classes, including baffling Browns Yet even if Watt re-ups … and Rodgers joins up and sustains his late-season momentum from 2024 … and maybe a veteran like Keenan Allen signs up and proves an upgrade – from schematic and chemistry perspectives – over Pickens, this team still projects as one that would win nine or 10 games (head coach Mike Tomlin has never had a losing record in 18 seasons), finish behind the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC North, perhaps return to the playoffs … and little else. Why make a similar mistake with Rodgers as they did with Wilson, another former Super Bowl winner past his prime, and wind up picking 20th or so in the draft again – a spot where teams sift through quarterback choices like Pickett or Paxton Lynch or Johnny Manziel or EJ Manuel or J.P. Losman or Tim Tebow or Brady Quinn, all NFL washouts (except for Pickett, who's already on his third team) forced to play before they were ready ... if they ever would have been. Tanking isn't really a viable route in the NFL. Players who average roughly four seasons in the league can't afford to put half-hearted efforts on their résumés. Tomlin might be an exception, but almost no coach has that kind of luxury, either. And given there's no such thing as a can't-miss draft prospect, even a successful tank wouldn't necessarily result in the desired dividend. But being merely decent of late hasn't satisfied Pittsburgh's fans nor gotten the Steelers off that 'Stairway to Seven,' the clever, Led Zeppelin-inspired slogan applied to the organization's quest to be the first to win seven Super Bowls. Would it perhaps be best to let the levee break with a new approach? Allow Rudolph, who sparked the club's late-season surge to the 2023 postseason be the starter? Maybe even consider shipping Watt to a contender and accruing significantly more capital for the 2026 draft – which will be held in Pittsburgh, incidentally – and give yourself a better shot at potentially drafting Texas' Arch Manning or LSU's Garrett Nussmeier at a time when there are expected to be more superior quarterback prospects available than there were this year? '(I)f you're gonna suck, suck all the way. Let's go get Arch, or let's go get Nussmeier,' ex-Steelers safety Ryan Clark said on ESPN following the departure of Pickens, a volatile player who wasn't served well by the quarterback instability and likely wouldn't have jelled with Rodgers, either. ("That would have been a disaster," said Ross.) But Riddick, for one, doesn't know if the Rooney family would be willing to allow their team to chart such a course. 'That doesn't even feel like the Steeler Way, for them to ever feel like there's a throwaway year. I just don't believe that,' he said. 'I can't imagine ownership in Pittsburgh giving that directive. ... For (Tomlin), too, being there as long as he's been there and as proud of a dude as he is and the kind of résumé that he's built? I think he would have a hard time stomaching that, too.' But you know what they say about the definition of insanity – using the same approach, hoping for different results, etc. 'It's sad that the Steelers are at this point. They've botched this for a while – they just have not been able to get it right since the end of Ben's time, and they held on to him too long,' said Ross. 'They've been terrible at quarterback evaluation since they drafted Big Ben (in 2004). … At one point, the Steelers were the standard. But that's just not there anymore. They've gotta evolve, and they just have not. 'For as great as Mike Tomlin does for making the most out of nothing, at some point you've got to get something. … They used to never miss in the draft, they just miss a lot now – more than they hit. It's just something that's kinda passed them by, and they need to adapt and adjust and move forward.' Just difficult to envision how Rodgers facilitates that. All NFL news on and off the field. Sign up for USA TODAY's 4th and Monday newsletter.
Yahoo
10-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Eagles WR Devonta Smith becomes 5th player to win Super Bowl, college national title and Heisman Trophy
DeVonta Smith joined some exclusive football company with the Philadelphia Eagles' 40-22 win over the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX. The fourth-year pro became the fifth player to win a Super Bowl championship, a college football national championship and a Heisman Trophy during his career. The others to collect that trifecta of accomplishments are Charles Woodson, Reggie Bush, Marcus Allen and Tony Dorsett. Smith first won a national championship at Alabama in 2017, then again in 2020. That season, he also won the Heisman, finishing ahead of quarterbacks Trevor Lawrence and Mac Jones (his Crimson Tide teammate) in voting. Woodson earned his Heisman Trophy, famously beating out Peyton Manning, and a national championship at Michigan in 1997. He won Super Bowl 45 with the Green Bay Packers in 2011. Bush was on two national championship teams with USC in 2003 and 2004. He won the 2005 Heisman, which he forfeited amid an NCAA investigation and sanctions against the Trojans' football program. But the award was returned to him when name, following image and likeness (NIL) endorsements being allowed for NCAA athletes. Bush was also on the 2010 New Orleans Saints team that won Super Bowl 44. Welcome Back, Reggie!Congratulations to @reggiebush on his return to the Heisman family. From outstanding performances on the field to moving with pride and integrity off the field, this is a moment richly 2005 Heisman Trophy winner, The University of Southern… — The Heisman Trophy (@HeismanTrophy) April 25, 2024 Allen was the 1981 Heisman winner, finishing ahead of Herschel Walker. He was on a split national championship team at USC in 1978, which was voted No. 1 in the UPI coaches poll while Alabama got the nod in the AP poll. And he won Super Bowl 18 (in addition to MVP honors) with the Los Angeles Raiders. Finally, Tony Dorsett finished off the 1978 NFL season with the Dallas Cowboys winning Super Bowl 13. He won a national championship with Pittsburgh in 1976 and also earned the Heisman that season, getting 701 of 839 first-place votes. Smith finished with four receptions for 69 yards and a touchdown in the Eagles' Super Bowl victory.
