PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – It was just about the time Pittsburgh was being showcased all over the world that Aaron Rodgers decided he wanted to return. Who took over for Mike Tomlin played a big part as Rodgers described a second season as the Steelers quarterback Wednesday after the second day of OTAs.
Rodgers said he was honest with the Steelers and had numerous conversations with team president Art Rooney, GM Omar Khan and head coach Mike McCarthy, often multiple discussions in a week.
“I just had a lot of conversation with my wife about it, and after the Draft, came the conclusion that I wanted to play, I wanted come back,” Rodgers said in the media room at the UPMC Rooney complex.
The 42-year-old said, as The Fan Morning Show reported, that he’s been around Pittsburgh since early May, but glad to be able to be with his teammates at the facility. Also glad to be around his coach of 13 years in Green Bay.
“I mean, I love Mike,” Rodgers said. “Mike and I spend a lot of time together. A lot of great highs over the years, a lot of respect for him. It was surreal, honestly, sitting in the meeting the first eight o'clock meeting on Monday. Took me back to being a 22-year-old kid, sitting at Green Bay, listen to Mike's first meeting in 2006.”
“So it's fun. I mean, it is like a pinch me moments that have happened in the last few days.”
When Mike Tomlin had what Rodgers called an emotional exit stepping aside in January, the future Hall of Fame quarterback thought he was done in Pittsburgh. The hiring of McCarthy, ‘sort of opened my mind back up to coming back’.
“I had a conversation with Omar at the end of last year,” Rodgers said. “Encouraged him for an outside perspective to interview Mike. Not thinking that he even would, honestly.”
“When it became more serious, I was thinking, wow, that’d be a really interesting thought to come back and play with Mike.”
He said not just Mike, but other coaches Rodgers worked with in Green Bay including offensive line coach James Campen, Jason Simmons, Joe Whitt, Mark Lovat and Grant Thorne. Also, on the staff who spent time with the Packers are Frank Cignetti and Brian Angelichio.
Health is another reason Rodgers returned. He said he’s felt good and been training and staying in shape. The broken bones in his arm and wrist from last season have healed. Health is a factor he discussed since the beginning of last year and has no physical issues.
There are changes to McCarthy’s offense since the two last worked together in 2018 in Green Bay. He said they’ll be a couple of things that he’s stubborn about with the offense, but he enjoys the learning experience as well. There were a couple of play calls in the huddle on Wednesday that he wasn’t sure of, but he’s confident he will figure it out.
Rodgers likes the changes with the team in the offseason, adding Michael Pittman, Rico Dowdle, Jaquan Brisker, drafting an offensive lineman in the first round and adding receiver Germie Bernard. He believes there are upgrades to a number of positions, but added you have to temper expectations, especially this time of year.
He was also asked the question he was asked last year and maybe for the last couple of years, is this your final season in the NFL?
“Yes, this is it. Yeah.”
Will we be asking the same question in 2027?
Aaron Rodgers described his process to return for a final NFL season
Aaron Rodgers described his process to return for a final NFL season
