Aaron Rodgers says his resolution to return for a twenty first NFL season and to take action in Pittsburgh was not about attempting to show one thing to himself, the New York Jets or anybody else.
Standing in entrance of a sea of cameras for his first press convention as a Steeler, the 41-year-old Rodgers mentioned the coda he’s attempting to creator in Pittsburgh is about one thing deeper than soccer.
“A variety of choices that I’ve remodeled my profession and life from strictly the ego, even when they end up effectively, are all the time unfulfilling,” Rodgers mentioned on Tuesday after the primary day of Pittsburgh’s obligatory minicamp. “However the choices constructed from the soul are often fairly fulfilling. So this was a call that was finest for my soul.”
And one the Steelers consider is finest for enterprise, one of many causes they put no stress on Rodgers through the spring as he handled off-the-field points that he has mentioned included having a number of individuals in his inside circle battle most cancers.
Rodgers mentioned these points “have improved a bit,” clearing the way in which for him to hitch a workforce that has bounced from one quarterback to a different since Ben Roethlisberger retired on the finish of the 2021 season.
He added that the Steelers’ long-time head coach Mike Tomlin, who has by no means had a dropping season since taking up the workforce in 2007, was a significant factor in his resolution to return to soccer. The 2 stayed involved over the previous few months, producing what Rodgers known as “a number of the coolest conversations I’ve had within the recreation.”
“It begins with Mike Tomlin,” Rodgers mentioned. “I’ve been a fan of his for a very long time. There’s a number of iconic franchises within the NFL. I performed for one among ‘em for 18 years. That is one other a type of. There’s one thing particular about clearly this space. So many nice quarterbacks are from Pittsburgh. I really feel like Pittsburgh has been part of my profession from the start.”
Rodgers, who has labored out with not too long ago acquired DK Metcalf in latest months, hopes a number of the Steelers’ ability place gamers can be a part of him at his residence in Malibu, California, someday earlier than they report for the workforce’s full coaching camp on 23 July.
In the event that they do, they might get an opportunity to satisfy Rodgers’ spouse. Rodgers was noticed carrying what regarded like a marriage band when he signed his Steelers contract. Rodgers confirmed on Tuesday that he was married “a pair months” in the past however declined to get into particulars. Rodgers has revealed little about his spouse. Throughout an look on The Pat McAfee Present final fall, he talked about he was relationship a girl named Brittani however supplied no different particulars.
Normally, Rodgers is just not afraid to precise his views about many subjects, from vaccines to politics and past. However on Tuesday, he caught to soccer.
“It’s exhausting to consider something in my life that’s optimistic that wasn’t impacted by immediately or not directly by taking part in this recreation,” he mentioned. “So [I] simply need to give love again to the sport, get pleasure from it, move on my data to my teammates, and try to discover methods to assist lead the workforce.”
The Steelers are unlikely to get the model of Rodgers who as soon as reduce a swathe via the NFL in his prime with the Inexperienced Bay Packers, successful 4 league MVP awards and a Tremendous Bowl alongside the way in which. Rodgers’s tenure together with his final workforce, the Jets, was transient and rocky. After a torn achilles ended his 2023 debut after simply 4 snaps, he returned in 2024 to begin all 17 video games. Although he threw for 3,897 yards and 28 touchdowns, the Jets completed simply 5-12, and Rodgers ranked outdoors the highest 25 in most effectivity metrics. The workforce sputtered to a 3-7 file in one-score video games.
With out Rodgers, the Steelers would in all probability have began Mason Rudolph, who not too long ago rejoined the workforce from the Tennessee Titans. Nonetheless, Rudolph was a modest quarterback at finest throughout his first stint with the workforce.
Rodgers will face a well-recognized foe in Week 1 of the upcoming season: Pittsburgh are scheduled to play the Jets of their 2025 opener. They play the Packers in Week 8.
