Two years ago during an interview that ran on ESPN just minutes before his debut with the New York Jets, Aaron Rodgers pontificated about his power of positive thinking.
"I believe in the power of manifestation, turning the desires of your heart into reality," he told interview and tennis legend John McEnroe. "First you've got to believe it. First we've got to believe we can go and make the run, and then once we start believing, and start playing the right way, then you see everyone else start believing. You won't be saying (bleep) like, 'What if it doesn't go right?' And then when everyone else in the city is believing, there's a never-ending, unstoppable wave of positivity and energy."
Just four snaps into that game, Rodgers suffered a torn Achilles that ended his season and threw a wet blanket on his manifest destiny.
Fast-forward to Tuesday at Pittsburgh Steelers' minicamp. There was Rodgers, digging deep again. Say what you want about the four-time MVP and future Hall of Famer, but there's no denying the dude takes himself very seriously.
After making the Steelers twist in the wind for three months this offseason before signing a one-year contract last week to be their starter, the 41-year-old Rogers enlightened us all to a decision-making process in which football won out over retirement.
"I don't need it for my ego," he said. "I don't need it to keep playing. A lot of decisions that I've made over my career and life from strictly the ego, even if they turn out well, are always unfulfilling. But the decisions made from the soul are usually pretty fulfilling. This was a decision that was best for my soul."
Other than getting a little sappy about his soul - at least he didn't invoke his manifestation, yet - Rodgers said all the right things about joining the Steelers. About his teammates. About his opportunity. About head coach Mike Tomlin.
"There were conversations with other organizations, for sure," he said. "But again, the rapport that fell in between me and Mike made it to where, as I was going through my personal stuff, there wasn't any other option for me. It was here or not play. It starts with Mike Tomlin. I've been a fan of his for a long time. There's a few iconic franchises in the NFL. I played for one of 'em for 18 years. This is another one of those. There's something special about obviously this area. So many great quarterbacks are from Pittsburgh. I feel like Pittsburgh has been a part of my career from the beginning."