Sep 14, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Jack Sawyer (33) celebrates a tackle against the Seattle Seahawks during the second half at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

How Aaron Rodgers Helped Steelers Rookie Jack Sawyer

Originally posted on Pittsburgh Steelers on SI
By Ari Meyer | Last updated Feb 7, 2026 5:00 PM ET

The Pittsburgh Steelers largely hit on their draft picks from the previous draft, as the 2025 NFL Draft looks to be one of the more fruitful drafts for the Steelers under the leadership of GM Omar Khan.

One of the notable players they selected was linebacker Jack , one of two national championship-winning players selected by the Steelers out of Ohio State, as well as quarterback Will Howard.

Sawyer was selected on the third day despite key plays in their run, due to his rawness as a prospect. Now, it seems that he has worked on those weaknesses, and he attributes quarterback Aaron Rodgers with helping him get there. On the Christian Kuntz Podcast, Sawyer spoke on how Rodgers has helped him out, and how tough it has been to adjust to NFL-level quarterback play.

"Yeah, I actually did. I actually did, a few times this year, 'cause I dropped more now than I did in college. There'd be a couple times I'm dropping and Aaron's funny. He'll just be staring right at me when I'm dropping," Sawyer said. "He'll be looking right at me like smiling, and he'll just throw it, he'll go, 'Stop looking at my f***ing eyes, rook! And he'd be like, 'It's not gonna help you."

Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

He then went in depth on a specific event with Rodgers that caused the reaction.

"One of my first practices and I'd met him, we talked a little bit at lunch or whatever and then like that next day, I'm dropping like to the hook/curl, I'm dropping in the middle of the field. He's just staring at me smiling, like dropping back, looking at me smiling," Sawyer said. "All of a sudden he just throws it while he is looking at me, throws it somewhere else. 'Stop looking at my f*cking eyes!' and started laughing. But then I talked to him about it, and he explained from his perspective, 'Hey, if the end's dropping here, I know what coverage you're in. So, I don't even really need to look at where guys are at. I know where I'm throwing the ball as soon as I catch it,' pretty much type of deal, which is nuts"

Sawyer finished his rookie year playing 294 defensive snaps, recording 34 tackles, three tackles for loss, a sack, four pass deflections and two interceptions. Maybe because of what Rodgers told him.

Sawyer still has plenty to learn, but hehelped to improve an already impressive linebacker room in his first year in the league. He will get more of a chance to prove himself as he enters the second season of his NFL career in 2026.

This article first appeared on Pittsburgh Steelers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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