Jun 13, 2025 5 min read

By Dale Lolley

For the Observer-Reporter

Aaron Rodgers stepped up to the microphones in front of approximately 40 media members assembled at the Steelers’ first minicamp practice Tuesday – about 20 more than normal – and said what the world already knew.

He was in Pittsburgh because of Mike Tomlin.

“I think it starts with Mike Tomlin. I’ve been a fan of his for a long time,” Rodgers said. “There’s a few iconic franchises in the NFL. I played for one of them for 18 years. This is another one of those. There’s something special about this area. So many great quarterbacks are from Pittsburgh. I feel like Pittsburgh has been a part of my career from the beginning, playing for Mike McCarthy for 13 years, having Tom Clements, or Tommy Clements, depending how old you are, as my quarterback coach forever, Don Capers, Kevin Greene, Darren Perry, Derrick McAdoo, Frank Cignetti, Luke Getsy. I don’t want to forget anybody, but a lot of Yinzers in my life.”

He’s going to have a lot more over the next eight or nine months.

McCarthy, a native of the Greenfield section of Pittsburgh, had a lot of people with Pittsburgh ties on his staff when the Packers selected Rodgers in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft.

So, Rodgers has heard all of the stories.

Now, he wants to be a part of them.

Perhaps more importantly, it’s obvious he wants to go out on a different note than what happened to him the past two years in New York with the Jets.

His 2023 season ended after just four plays thanks to a torn Achilles’ tendon. His 2024 season saw his offensive coordinator fired. Then his head coach.

The Jets were the epitome of dysfunction.

And at the end of it all, they decided they didn’t want to move forward with a 41-year-old quarterback.

That’s fair. But they’re in a different place than the Steelers happen to be.

With the pieces in place that the Steelers have, they’re better prepared to compete in 2025. And that’s what Rodgers wants to do.

He wants to enjoy the game. And winning is enjoyable.

“I don’t need it for my ego. I don’t need it, to keep playing,” Rodgers said. “A lot of decisions that I’ve made over my career and life from strictly the ego, even if they turn out well, they’re always unfulfilling. But the decisions made from the soul are usually pretty fulfilling.

“This was a decision that was best for my soul, and I felt like being here with Coach T and the guys they got here and the opportunity here was the best for me. I’m excited to be here.”

We’ll see if it works out. Tomlin has staked his 2025 season on it.

But he’s done so with a quarterback who is one of the top five throwers of the football in NFL history. And Rodgers showed this week in individual drills – Tomlin didn’t have him do any team drill work – that he can still spin the ball with anyone.

He also looked more spry than his critics give him credit for. He still moves like a middle infielder.

Now, he’s also 41 and will turn 42 during the 2025 season. But he understands that, as well.

At the very least, he makes the Steelers a much more dangerous team.

Remember, this team won 10 games in 2023 throwing 13 touchdown passes. Last season, the Steelers produced 21 touchdown passes – and won 10 games.

Both seasons resulted in first-round playoff losses.

But had the Steelers won an additional game in 2024, they would have traveled to Houston instead of Baltimore for the opening round of the playoffs. If they won two more games, they could have hosted a first-round playoff game.

Rodgers gives them a better chance of doing those things.

T.J. Watt was a no-show at mandatory minicamp, skipping the sessions while trying to get a new contract.

If it carries over to training camp, that’s when things will get interesting.

The Steelers have long refused to work on new deals with players who are under contract but don’t show up for work. The player has to at least show up to have the team work to get the deal done once camp has begun.

Will they take that stance with Watt?

He held in during his last contract negotiations, showing up for training camp, but working on the side. And the deal got done.

The Steelers are off for about five weeks until they report to training camp at Saint Vincent College July 23.

It still wouldn’t be surprising to see the team add another pass catcher between now and then – or at least sometime after they report to Latrobe.

Dale Lolley hosts The Drive on Steelers Nation Radio and writes a Sunday column for the Observer-Reporter.