Veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers finally signed with the Steelers in early June, ending months of speculation about if and where he would play in the NFL in 2025.
Rodgers appeared on The Pat McAfee Show earlier this week and shared that there were a couple of people in particular who played a large role in him landing in Pittsburgh.
It should be no surprise that one of those people was Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin.
"Well, I’ve had conversations with Mike T every single week. And it was really through those conversations that this became a reality,“ Aaron Rodgers said. ”So, you know, I think most people who come to the Steelers talk about one of the reasons being Mike T.
“And I can say that was right at the top. Just the conversations that we had, it felt like you were talking to an old friend, honestly. So I really appreciated those conversations throughout it.”
Tomlin has been the head coach of the Steelers since 2007, and Pittsburgh has not had a losing season under him.
He is widely respected throughout the NFL, including by players.
In addition to Tomlin, Rodgers shared that his conversations with veteran receiver DK Metcalf also made him want to join the Steelers.
A two-time Pro Bowler, Metcalf is entering his first season in Pittsburgh after spending six years with the Seahawks. He has finished with at least 900 receiving yards every year he has been in the league.
“DK is a lead by example guy, and he’s a big reason that I’m in Pittsburgh, as well, the conversations that we had and just the kind of person that he is,” Rodgers said.
The two did not know each other at all before Metcalf signed with the Steelers and Rodgers began exploring playing in Pittsburgh.
Now, they have grown close and are hoping to be a serious problem for NFL defenses in 2025.
“He’s not just a specimen, but he’s a really solid human being. He is a solid, solid dude, and he leads by example,” Rodgers said. “The way he practices, and that’s, I think, one of the most encouraging things is the room goes how the top guy goes. And when DK catches a ball and finishes 60 yards to the end zone, it makes everybody else want to do the same thing.
“You’re talking about guys like Calvin Austin and Roman Wilson, young guys. But you’ve got some older guys who have played some football – the Robert Woods and Scotty Millers of the world."
Rodgers likes the receiving corps Pittsburgh has a whole, but everything starts with Metcalf.