Steelers OC Arthur Smith reportedly does not want Aaron Rodgers running his offense

The Pittsburgh Steelers are still waiting for Aaron Rodgers to officially sign with the team. Organized team activities (OTAs) are just around the corner, and there is still no certainty on if he will show up or not — at least to the public. 

Numerous analysts have tried to predict exactly when he will sign a contract and report to practice, but at the end of the day, only Rodgers will know that timetable. The sooner he makes up his mind one way or the other however, the sooner everyone involved can move forward with the offseason programs without distractions. 

While hosting on 93.7 The Fan, Andrew Fillipponi brought up how many feel about the Rodgers situation, including the man that calls the offensive plays.

"I don't think there's a lot of people over there [in Pittsburgh] that want Aaron Rodgers," Fillipponi said. "I just don't, and [Mike Tomlin] is the one that matters the most. It's his decision; it's his call, and the owner [Art Rooney II] is just along for the ride. I don't think the offensive coordinator [Arthur Smith] really wanted him either; he wanted Justin Fields."

Rodgers has quickly made himself an unpopular player in the eyes of many ever since his initial holdout during his final years with the Green Bay Packers. His stint with the New York Jets did not help his reputation either. Fillipponi insinuates that regardless of Rodgers' past behavior, it's head coach Mike Tomlin's desire to bring in the former Super Bowl champion.

It makes perfect sense as to why offensive coordinator Arthur Smith might not want Rodgers. The veteran quarterback likes to do things his way with his own play calls, which lessens Smith's role on the staff. Smith came to Pittsburgh to establish the same dominant run-first offense that he used with the Tennessee Titans, and the idea of bringing in a controlling quarterback does not help with that situation at all. 

However, if Tomlin wants Rodgers running the offense, Smith will have to take a step back. The 19th-year head coach reportedly has all the power in the facilities. As Fillipponi suggests, Tomlin likely doesn't even really answer to ownership. 

Would Steelers give Rodgers unlimited power?

While it's expected that Rodgers would want to run his own offense in Pittsburgh, there is still the possibility that Tomlin gives him what he wants in other facets too. The Steelers could end up being pressured by Rodgers to trade for players that he specifically wants, like Allen Lazard. He did that with the Jets, and it would not be surprising to see him get the front office to cater to his whims, especially if the head coach gives him the green light to do so. 

Historically, the Steelers don't fire coaches midseason (Matt Canada being the recent exception in 2023). While Rodgers reportedly has meddled in that regard in previous years as well, he likely won't be able to do anything about that in Pittsburgh. He may or may not see eye to eye with Smith, but if he truly wants to wear black and gold, then he will have to deal with the staff that the team currently has.

All of this potential meddling is likely a big reason why many Steelers fans as a collective would rather roll with Mason Rudolph for a year. Rudolph is a good scheme fit for what Pittsburgh wants to be offensively, he already knows the team, he's younger and he won't be extremely demanding.