How 'misinterpreted' Aaron Rodgers has impressed Steelers teammates this summer

Ever since quarterback Aaron Rodgers signed a team-friendly contract to join the Pittsburgh Steelers in time to participate in their June mandatory minicamp, stories have detailed how Rodgers has been "one of the dudes" in the Pittsburgh locker room and has proved he has "bought in" as it pertains to helping the club win games. 

Current backup quarterback Skylar Thompson is among the Steelers players who have been impressed by what they've seen from Rodgers over his first two months with the organization. 

"I think he gets misinterpreted a lot because people judge a book by its cover and don’t really know him," Thompson recently said about Rodgers, per Mike Jones of The Athletic. "I’m not claiming that I really know him, but just being around him on a daily basis, he’s a good dude, cares about his teammates, holds people accountable. There’s a real desire for greatness that he expects all the time, and that’s been a great perspective for me."

Rodgers developed a reputation for allegedly frustrating some of his wide receivers during his final few years with the Green Bay Packers and his two-season stint with the New York Jets. More recently, the 41-year-old acknowledged he is feeling more "comfortable" in the Pittsburgh offense after he reportedly lacked on-the-field chemistry with teammates during the first couple of weeks of training camp.

"He comes out here every day with a smile on his face," Thompson continued while speaking about Rodgers. "Whatever music is playing, you see him singing sometimes. Sometimes, you see him playing the air guitar. You can just tell he’s in his safe place. He’s just himself every single day. When we’re off the field, he loves being around the guys. He’s not too big for anyone. That’s really cool because not everybody’s like that, and he wants to be like everybody else. Just a really good dude."

None of this means the Steelers won't have to deal with supposed "nonsense" related to Rodgers that seemingly annoyed some people within the Jets, such as his weekly in-season appearances on "The Pat McAfee Show." There's also no guarantee Rodgers will stay healthy for 17 games after he dealt with a hip issue, injuries to both his knees, a low ankle sprain and a serious hamstring problem while with the Jets last season. 

That said, Rodgers has thus far embraced his role as a mentor for younger Pittsburgh players, such as rookie quarterback and sixth-round draft pick Will Howard. Thompson is a 28-year-old who entered the league via the 2022 draft but is also learning from the future Hall of Famer this summer. 

"One thing that’s been really cool for learning and perspective, for me, is just seeing how he handles those situations where times are harder," Thompson added about Rodgers. "Maybe we don’t have the best practice, you see with him the right way to call people out, hold them accountable on what he expects and how he demands greatness."

Rodgers will look to show he has plenty left in the tank when the Steelers open the regular season with a matchup at the Jets on Sept. 7. As of Monday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook had Pittsburgh as a three-point betting favorite for that contest.