PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Aaron Rodgers listed off a number of Jets players he was teammates with in New York, said he wouldn’t discuss who he remains in contact with. The point was he is approaching this as another game, not revenge against his former team. Or as he put it.
“Yeah, it’s Week 1,” Rodgers said. “I’ll just be excited for Week 1.”
That’s all he was going to say about opening his Steelers career against the Jets.
“I don’t think his former team has anything to do with it,” said receiver DK Metcalf. “I think he loves the game of football and he’s ready to put a product on the field. I know there was a bad taste left in his mouth from the previous years. He just wants to go out and win as many games as he can.”
No one has seen Rodgers in a game yet. Head coach Mike Tomlin said his arm is unbelievable along with several other compliments about his physical and mental abilities from what he’s seen in practice. He wasn’t going to share any concerns he may or may not have about not playing in the preseason and going out into a game in his old stadium for a new team.
“I’ve been playing 20 years,” Rodgers said. “I know how to execute in a game situation.”
He was only given one practice off during the preseason leading up to Sunday. The two-decade veteran joked he would have been ok if Tomlin gave him more. Rodgers does believe he has a grasp of not only what he needs to do, but what Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith is thinking.
“I think I got a pretty good handle on it,” Rodgers said. “I spent a lot of time studying in Latrobe and here. Feel good about finishing Art’s sentences when he starts to call plays.”
He used the word exciting or excited a few times when describing playing Sunday, same thoughts about what the 2025 Steelers offense can accomplish.
“There are so many different guys that can do a lot of different things,” Rodgers said. “There are little guys who can run around and make plays inside and outside, you got four very capable tight ends. You got three very capable backs. You got a really, really freakin’ smart center, who loves to correct me.”
“It’s some smart players right down the middle of the offense. That’s what all the West Coast coaches used to always talk about, having a smart center, smart quarterback, back then having a fullback. I think we got the right guys down the middle and a lot of guys who can do a lot of unique things.”
Rodgers believes perhaps the deciding factor in the game is what you don’t expect. He said analytics will tell you that 30-40% of plays early in the season are un-scouted or something teams haven’t prepared for from their opponent. Who handles the surprises the best likely will win.
We talked to him on a Wednesday, Rodgers said he doesn’t have butterflies or jitters right now, but if that’ s the case before kickoff the quarterback said he’s in the wrong profession. The 41-year-old has liked everything to this point, now is when it all counts.
“I love being here,” Rodgers said. “The way that I’ve been welcomed has been really special, from the top down. From the fans, the guys in the locker room, the sports staff, the men and women that work for this organization have been really, really special.”
“There are a lot of really cool people that make this thing go. I’m always drawn to who those people are in a facility like this.”
They’ve been drawn to him too, as all wait to see how this plays out.