The Pittsburgh Steelers finally got their guy. Pittsburgh signed Aaron Rodgers to a one-year contract last week, ending months of speculation. Rodgers has been greeted with warmth by many of his new teammates, especially the young players who grew up watching him.
Steelers rookie quarterback Will Howard shared why he was surprised with his first impression of veteran Aaron Rodgers.
“You would think he’s this big-time famous guy — everybody knows Aaron Rodgers, but he’s super down-to-earth and not at all what you would expect,” Howard said. “And just super personable in the last day that I’ve been talking to him.”
Jack Sawyer, another Steelers rookie who was Howard’s teammate at Ohio State, was impressed with his first impression of Rodgers.
“That’s one of the quarterbacks you grow up watching and emulating in the front yard, throwing the football when you’re a little kid,” Sawyer said. “And now being here in my rookie year and having him as my teammate is pretty surreal. And what’s funny is, my grandma growing up was a huge Packers fan and loves Aaron Rodgers, so she’s probably called me 10 times in the last week to ask me how he is and what he is like.”
The Steelers are in the honeymoon phase with Rodgers. It will be interesting to see how the situation develops during the summer and into the regular season.
NFL insider slaps Steelers with Aaron Rodgers reality check
Not everyone in the NFL media is convinced that Rodgers is right for the Steelers.
ESPN’s Dan Graziano is still skeptical of Aaron Rodgers ahead of the 2025 season. He does not believe that Rodgers will move the needle much for the Steelers.
“Honestly, I don’t see how Rodgers‘ signing makes a big difference,” Graziano admitted. “If the Steelers think their 2025 season just got saved by signing a QB who was 25th in QBR, 26th in completion percentage, and 13th in TD/INT ratio last season, won five games, and got released by the Jets, they have to step back and ask themselves what they’re doing.”
It is fair to question how much longer Rodgers will be a viable NFL quarterback. He is the oldest quarterback in the NFL and is not long removed from a major injury.
If Rodgers does not turn the Steelers into a contender, the team could face plenty of changes next offseason.
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