Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin and quarterback Aaron Rodgers appear to be having fun together so far.
The Pittsburgh Steelers' Mike Tomlin-Aaron Rodgers relationship is going very well so far.
Shortly after Rodgers effusively praised Tomlin for his consistency in their private conversations before the 40-year-old quarterback signed with Pittsburgh, the longtime Steelers head coach repaid the favor when talking to ESPN's Kevin Clark.
“He has an absolute love affair with the game of football. It’s just no component in the game or the process that I’ve seen in the time that I’ve been around him that he does not enjoy. And that’s just really a cool thing considering he’s been doing it a while,” Tomlin said of Rodgers.
In terms of the future Hall of Famer's game, Tomlin pointed toward the “ad lib component” as a key factor in why it has been so hard to stop Rodgers throughout his 20-year NFL career.
“A lot of times there’s negativity that comes with the ad lib, but the great ones they manage that well, and he certainly fits into that category. His ability to extend plays and ad lib without offensive negativity has been really impressive over the course of his career,” Tomlin said.
Now, the Steelers, they hope, will benefit from that ad-libbing. Rodgers has been criticized at times for being particular or, more negatively, stuck in his ways, in how he leads an offense. Fortunately, more times than not, it has worked out for him and his team.
Unfortunately, that was simply not the case with the New York Jets, with whom Rodgers played the last two seasons. In Year 1, Rodgers suffered a season-ending Achilles injury in the first game of the year, and the following season, while he was able to stay relatively healthy, he struggled and so did the Jets, who fired head coach Robert Saleh, general manager Joe Douglas, and stripped playcalling duties of Nathaniel Hackett, the offensive coordinator and a close Rodgers ally, en route to a 5-12 record.
Following the season, during a complete overhaul of the franchise's front office and coaching staff, it was made clear New York did not intend to bring back Rodgers, who eventually found his way to Pittsburgh, where he will become the sixth Steelers starting quarterback since Ben Roethlisberger retired three years ago.
Aaron Rodgers Under the Gun
“I just want to be a servant leader here, and just pass on the knowledge that I have from 20 years of experience,” Rodgers told Yahoo Sports. “Just try and fit in with the guys, get to know them, let them get to know me. And just enjoy the process of it.”
Rodgers’ results may also impact Pittsburgh from an organizational standpoint. While the franchise has been largely stable under head coach Mike Tomlin, they have not won a Super Bowl since the 2008 season and seems to struggle once the calendar turns to January.
Last season’s 28-14 Wild Card weekend loss to the Baltimore Ravens saw Pittsburgh’s defense struggle to contain running back Derrick Henry. Furthermore, the offense could not recover once they fell behind 21-0 in the second quarter.
Many fans and pundits have since wondered if Pittsburgh is “a quarterback away” from being a title contender. Justin Fields and Russell Wilson were serviceable at the position last year. But, in theory, a healthy and devoted Rodgers could place them in a more advantageous playoff position this season.
