“You’ve got to stay on your man, just gotta lock up, because he can put the ball anywhere on the field,” was how former Detroit Lions cornerback Mike Ford had described playing a game vs Aaron Rodgers back in 2019. Known for his penchant for improvising plays, that’s exactly what set the quarterback apart, and perhaps made him one of the greats. Yet, as the veteran sets foot in the Pittsburgh Steelers‘ system, that same habit might be causing more worry than relief.

On August 28, as per an article by The Athletic, Robert Mays of The Athletic Football Show divulged more on the same. “My issue is just the way Aaron Rodgers wants to play the position right now,” he began, before adding, “He wants to take one-on-ones when he has them, and he is going to have some of those with DK Metcalf. We are going to see slants and fades to DK Metcalf consistently within this offense, the same way we did last year when he was throwing a billion slot fades and go balls to Davante Adams when he has those numbers.”

“He wants to throw for quick gains, which we’ll see again. We’ll see a million different slants and all of that stuff early in the play. And he wants advantage throws, similar type of stuff we saw early in Green Bay where it’s a packaged play, we’re just going to throw a bubble when it’s there. He does not want to play out plays anymore based on what we saw with the Jets last year, and the Arthur Smith offense, where it wants to be heavy play-action, attack the middle of the field. That is the platonic ideal of this offense. That’s not really what Rodgers wants to do anymore,” Mays concluded.

It’s no surprise that Rodgers is not a typical player. He’s a four-time MVP and a future Hall of Famer who demands independence. However, his initial moves, like shrugging off media appearances or pushing back against some offensive principles, are signs that a compromise may be hard to find. As things stand, Rodgers’ cautious demeanor has already created friction outside as well.

Super Bowl winner Ryan Clark shared on his Football America! podcast how the Steelers’ quarterback refused his offer of an interview during training camp. “I have nothing against [Rodgers], he’s fine. I was like, ‘Man, I would love to sit with him.’ I’m a part of the history there…I wanted to talk about his career. I have said over and over again, he’s the best quarterback I ever played against,” the retired veteran said.

“He declined, he had other things to do, which I respected. But when we were pulling up to campus, he was talking to Arthur Smith when we were going up the hill. I roll the window down and I say, ‘What’s up guys.’ Arthur Smith kind of speaks. Aaron Rodgers looks at me and he doesn’t say anything,” Clark then revealed.

Having said that, if the technical difference between Rodgers and Tomlin wasn’t sufficient, Pittsburgh’s new quarterback also just took a personnel hit.

Rodgers loses out on a familiar target

According to reports, Rodgers attempted to have a reunion with former Packers receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling, a reliable deep threat during their Green Bay stint. But the transaction didn’t materialize.

On Thursday, Matt Barrows of The Athletic wrote that Valdes-Scantling had a “50/50” choice between signing with the Steelers or the San Francisco 49ers. Notably, this comes after the player had acknowledged Rodgers’ stance on his presence: “He wanted me back over there.” But ultimately, the veteran receiver went with San Francisco as the best career decision.

Rather than receiving passes from Rodgers once more, Valdes-Scantling decided to sign with the 49ers’ practice squad, depriving Pittsburgh of the reunion that might have eased the quarterback’s transition. This is not the first time that Rodgers has gone around playing recruiter. Earlier this month, insider Bill Huber reported that Rodgers made a call to Green Bay inquiring about the status of Romeo Doubs, another up-and-coming receiver with whom he previously worked.

Looks like the Steelers’ 2025 season just got a lot more interesting! Are you excited?