Former NFL head coach Eric Mangini is not sold that Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers will be fully committed this season.
Mangini has questions about how long it took Rodgers to decide to sign the contract, ultimately, and he wonders if questions could have crept up in Rodgers’ head throughout the season.
“I don’t know if it’s me being cynical, but you had a lot of time to make a decision to become a Pittsburgh Steeler,” Mangini said on FS1’s First Things First. “You could’ve come in a little bit earlier, you could’ve gone to a few OTAs. You could’ve gotten a much more thorough understanding of the system so that this becomes that much more impactful. And didn’t he talk about how he’s trying to stay away from the media and keep things private? Then you have this, and you’re the one that posted on Instagram? It just seems a little bit disingenuous.”
The Steelers have bet on Rodgers as their answer in 2025. Rodgers had 28 touchdowns to 11 interceptions in 2024. He went just 5-12 in his starts with the Jets, and even after they acquired Davante Adams, they went just 3-8. It was a tough season for Rodgers, who also had multiple leg injuries.
Rodgers organized a gathering with his weapons at his home in Malibu. That included top tight, Pat Freiermuth, and all of the key wide receivers.
Rodgers and star wide receiver DK Metcalf worked out together in April before Rodgers signed with the Steelers.
“I didn’t really know DK at all, and he’s like, ‘I work out at 6 a.m. every day.’ I’m like, ‘OK, alrighty. This guy has discipline; this guy has a drive,’” Rodgers said. “I said, ‘How about 8 o’clock?’ Because I have to drive from Malibu to UCLA. He said, ‘Yea, that’s fine.’”
Rodgers and Metcalf continued their workout sessions until the deadline. Metcalf made the trip up to Malibu to join Rodgers and his Steelers teammates as they built chemistry with the four-time MVP.
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