It’s a new team for Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, but it reminds him of another. And Mike Tomlin shared his early impressions about the veteran signal-caller. Furthermore, Rodgers revealed the Tomlin moment that stuck with him.
The interaction happened four years ago, according to nytimes.com.
As Pittsburgh subbed out defenders between plays, Rodgers called for a quick snap while there were more than 11 Steelers on the field.
“(Tomlin) called timeout right away,” Rodgers said. “And I looked over — angrily. But also smiling because he was smart enough to do that. Because we’ve done that for so long. And he just kind of smiled and nodded to me, like, ‘Nice try, old guy.’ I loved that moment, and it stuck with me.”
QB Aaron Rodgers trying to mesh with Steelers
Rodgers has just one Super Bowl victory to his credit. Ironically, it came at the hands of the Steelers and Tomlin back in 2011 when Rodgers earned Super Bowl MVP honors.
Now the duo has teamed up to try to get each man a second one.
Rodgers said playing for the Steelers reminds him of his Green Bay days.
“And I say that with the utmost amount of respect,” Rodgers said. “Because there are a few cornerstone franchises in the league. And we all know who those are. And there’s a reason they’ve had sustained excellence over the years. Obviously, they’ve won six Super Bowls here, and Green Bay’s won 13 world championships. But there’s a way that they operate that sets them apart. And it’s kind of ingrained in the culture.
“I feel like because there is such a history of excellence that there’s almost an underlying, tacit way of carrying yourself. Some owners, these days, are quick to pull the trigger to make a change. But when you have the right culture, and it’s obvious what to do, the one thing that never changes, and shouldn’t, is the person at the top, leading from the front.”
Can Rodgers lift the Steelers this season? He’s 41 years old. Not a spring chicken anymore. Sure, he still has the athletic chops, according to Tomlin.
“I don’t see any deterioration in his skill set or his talents, his ability to throw the football, his passion or relationship with the game,” Tomlin said.
But … will Rodgers’ body hold up? The NFL is a physically unforgiving game. Still, Rodgers said the Steelers can use their veterans and others to make a lot of noise in 2025.
“A lot of guys are battle-strong and have been through some tough stuff,” Rodgers said. “And with the leadership we’ve got — and with Mike T. — I like our chances.”
