Total Pro Sports
New Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers will happily do one thing Ben Roethlisberger wouldn’t do for Mason Rudolph: Mentor the rookie.
After waiting on Aaron Rodgers’ decision for nearly three months, the Steelers finally got a “yes” from the four-time league MVP and signed him to a one-year deal worth a max value of $19.5 million.
Rodgers is the undisputed starting quarterback in Pittsburgh, with Rudolph (brought back in free agency after a one-year stint with the Tennessee Titans), rookie Will Howard and veteran Skylar Thompson backing him up.
Steelers fans will recall that Roethlisberger wasn’t all that pleased when Pittsburgh drafted Rudolph in the third round back in 2018. Rodgers wasn’t happy when the Green Bay Packers traded up for Jordan Love in round one five years ago.
But here’s a nice bonus for Steelers fans: While speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Aaron Rodgers expressed excitement about the opportunity to mentor Howard, per Bryan DeArdo of CBS Sports:
“Will is a good kid. We’ve gotten to talk a little bit. I thought he did really well today. You know, he seems pretty bright, not too big for him, going through the progressions really well. But yeah, I mean, I’m gonna be with him every single day, in every single meeting. Found my seat next to him today in the offensive meeting — whether or not that sticks — right next to Will Howard. So I’m going to help him out as much as I can.”
After leading the Ohio State Buckeyes to a national championship, Howard was drafted in the sixth round (185th overall) by the Steelers. Rodgers is on a year-to-year basis at this phase of his career, so any advice and help he can offer Howard would surely be helpful.
Rodgers will make his Pittsburgh debut on Sept. 7, when the Steelers visit his old team, the New York Jets. To make this matchup even more intriguing, ex-Steelers QB Justin Fields will start behind center in the showdown with Rodgers.
Rodgers may not be an MVP-caliber QB anymore, but his arrival suddenly puts Pittsburgh that much closer to Super Bowl contention. Say what you want about his tenure with the Jets, but a 41-year-old Rodgers is way better than any QB the Steelers have used since 2019.
With D.K. Metcalf, Jaylen Warren, Pat Freiermuth, a stout offensive line and a top-10 defense at his side, Rodgers has the pieces to push for a second Super Bowl ring before his career ends.
Also Read: Aaron Rodgers’ Car Collection: Sneak Peek Inside The Veteran NFL Star’s Luxurious Garage
