Steelers Now
When new Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Germie Bernard set out to select his rookie jersey number, 17 wasn’t exactly his first choice, but he had a good reason for making the pick — and it comes with a connection to quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Bernard, the team’s second-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, had two numbers over three stops in college, wearing No. 5 at Michigan State and Alabama, and No. 4 at Washington. Obviously, both of those numbers are taken with the Steelers, with fellow wide receiver DK Metcalf and cornerback Jalen Ramsey both selecting them in 2025.
When Bernard went to select his number this spring, the pickings were slim.
“I ain’t gonna lie, they had some weak numbers available,” Bernard said in an appearance on Big Time Talks with former NFL defensive tackle Jonathan Hankins. “Obviously I was five in college, but Jalen Ramsey, he’s got five, so yeah we not touching that.”
One of the numbers that was available, Bernard will now share with an NFL receiver that is one of his idols.
“But they had 17 open, and one of my favorite receivers is Davante Adams. I’ve been watching his film for a long time. I don’t go on YouTube and watch his highlights, I go in the film room and watch his highlights. I watch games, like really dive deep into his game.”
In addition to being one of the best wide receivers in the NFL in general over the course of his career, Adams is also closely liked to Rodgers, as the two played together with the Green Bay Packers from 2014-21 and again with the New York Jets in 2024.
Bernard picked quite an idol. In his 12-year NFL career, Adams has 12,633 receiving yards — 26th all-time — and is the current NFL active leader with 117 career touchdowns. He has been a six-time Pro Bowler and a three-time first-team All-Pro selection.
Rodgers’ influence hasn’t just impacted the jersey choice of rookie wide receivers. It seems that Pittsburgh is becoming Packers East, with the future Hall of Fame quarterback returning to the Steelers for his second season, reuniting with his former coach in Green Bay, who he played under for 13 seasons, Mike McCarthy, as well as several assistant coaches, and former teammates with the Packers, safety Darnell Savage and tight end Robert Tonyan.
Even former star wide receiver of the Carolina Panthers and Baltimore Ravens, Steve Smith Sr. can see the similarities between both franchises when he gave his assessment of the current Steelers wide receiver room, noting that he sees a lot of similarities between Pittsburgh’s receivers, and Rodgers’ former teammates.
So, while Bernard has yet to catch a pass from Rodgers, the goal is to hit the ground running, and he and the rest of Packers East can replicate the success that they had in Green Bay. After all, Rodgers has plenty of practice throwing to No. 17.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: [Steelers Rookie Picks...
