Calvin Austin III expands on how workouts with Aaron Rodgers have Steelers 'excited' about 2025 season

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Calvin Austin III recently touched upon what he learned about quarterback Aaron Rodgers after Rodgers invited some of his new teammates to complete some pre-training camp workouts in Malibu. 

On the latest edition of the "Chipped Ham & Football" podcast hosted by Steelers insider Brian Batko of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Austin expanded on the importance of those throwing sessions.

"To get to know the guy that you're gonna be going to battle with, that's why it was definitely a great trip," Austin explained, as shared by Joe Clark of Steelers Depot. "Just got us even more excited and ready to go for the start of the season. He's a cool dude, and the way he just showed us around, showed love, is just real. And that definitely helps, for sure."

Unlike other quarterbacks who began building chemistry with new teammates in March, Rodgers remained an unsigned free agent until shortly before the Steelers opened their three-day mandatory minicamp in June. However, Rodgers offered a big hint about his intentions for the 2025 season when he worked out with wide receiver DK Metcalf not long after Pittsburgh agreed to acquire Metcalf from the Seattle Seahawks earlier in the offseason. 

There's no sign that Austin or other members of the Pittsburgh locker room are upset about the fact that Rodgers essentially skipped the voluntary portion of springtime workouts before he signed a team-friendly one-year contract to join the Steelers. That said, Rodgers and New York Jets receiver Garrett Wilson allegedly "never saw eye-to-eye" last season. Pittsburgh head coach Mike Tomlin is likely hoping the Malibu sessions will help Steelers wideouts get on the same page with Rodgers before September rolls around. 

"It's just inside, outside routes," Austin added about what he and others worked on with Rodgers. "And then toward the end, we'll break it down to get kind of specific in some things and just talk about some things he sees and likes."

Rodgers insisted over this past weekend that he wants to finish his playing career "the right way" as a member of the Steelers. How the 41-year-old spent a portion of his summer indicates he doesn't plan to simply go through the motions after he lost 12 of 17 starts with the 2024 Jets.