Why Aaron Rodgers is 'excited' about spending possible final season with Steelers

It's now known that quarterback Aaron Rodgers kept in touch with Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin and offensive coordinator Arthur Smith throughout the spring up until Rodgers signed a team-friendly one-year contract to join the club ahead of its mandatory minicamp in June. 

During an appearance on the Golf Channel over the weekend, Rodgers touched upon possibly spending his final season as an active player with the Steelers. 

"Well, I just like the newness of it all," Rodgers said, as shared by Nick Farabaugh of PennLive. "I’m excited about being with such a great franchise with the Hall of Fame head coach (Tomlin), and I’ve enjoyed getting to know Arthur Smith, our coordinator. The quarterback coach was actually in my room a million years ago. I’ve known Tom Arth since we were young kids without any gray. So, it’s fun. It’s a good quarterback room, and there’s good leadership in the locker room. It’s a great fan base, and I’m just excited to get back out there and finish (my career) the right way."

The last several campaigns of Rodgers' career haven't gone to his liking. He failed to guide the 2022 Green Bay Packers to a playoff berth, and he then suffered a torn Achilles tendon four offensive snaps into his New York Jets tenure in September 2023. While with the Jets last season, he dealt with multiple physical issues as the club went 5-12. 

According to Pro Football Reference, Rodgers ended the 2024 regular season ranked 28th among qualified players with a 48.0 adjusted QBR and tied for 20th with a 90.5 passer rating. However, he was also eighth with 3,897 passing yards and tied for seventh with 28 passing touchdowns. 

NFL insider Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated recently mentioned that some teams other than the Steelers feel that "there's not a huge decline in skill" regarding what Rodgers has left in the tank at the age of 41. Rodgers was linked with the New York Giants and Minnesota Vikings at different portions of the offseason but seemingly never came close to joining either franchise before he became Pittsburgh's new QB1.

"I think there were conversations with other organizations for sure, but again, the rapport that fell in between me and [Tomlin] 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," Rodgers added while speaking with the Golf Channel. 

Rodgers suggested in June that he will retire next offseason regardless of what happens this season. He seems to be a popular figure among his new teammates, but it remains to be seen if that will still be the case by the time Week 18 wraps up.