In his time with the Steelers, many have considered Mike Tomlin one of the best coaches. Why not? He has consistently delivered successful regular seasons in Pittsburgh. However, the consistency has not leached into creating an explosive offense led by a franchise QB and more than one high-end WR. Still, Omar Khan and Co. brought in the 41-year-old Aaron Rodgers, who is “most probably” playing his last year in the NFL. Now, the idea of getting him had already divided the Steel City which has little love for outsiders. But he was straight edged for them.

Signing the one-year $13M contract, Rodgers shared how he believes “The history of this great area built the structure of the country. So, a lot of great people here. Great fan base.” So, when one of the NFL’s most polarizing stars landed in the Strip District, his presence lit up the merchandise racks. But fans are mostly sticking to $12 T-shirts rather than shelling out $120 for replica jerseys for one reason– “Some people are like, ‘I want a shirt just so I can burn it,’” as Danielle Dudas of Strip District Tees stated. Alternatively, Rodgers isn’t backing down on his shenanigans either.

First, he refused to sign a fan’s ticket stub from the Packers-Saints game in 2005 at the 2025 American Century Championship in Lake Tahoe. Apparently, he failed Rodgers’ ‘test of sincerity.’ The Pittsburgh QB even asked the fan to search for the answer on the internet despite the fan asking him to personalize the autograph. Ultimately, as the fan walked off, Rodgers called him an “autograph hound.” The event might have ended now, but Rodgers’ plan to create some image of himself for the fans hasn’t.

Dov Kleiman shared a clip from the same celebrity golf tournament, giving his version of what happened in the attached clip: “Yikes: New Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers almost hit a kid with his golf club and roasts him instead of apologizing:
Kid: “You almost hit me, Aaron Rodgers.”
Rodgers: “Almost doesn’t count.”
He couldn’t care less…😬😳”

However, if you look at the clip, Rodgers doesn’t have anyone close to him to actually hit them. In fact, he is casually walking behind his caddie, swinging his golf club side to side. Apparently, Rodgers hit his previous shot wide, and the kid was joking with him about hitting him. All Rodgers did was play along with his fan to make some light-hearted conversation, showing how he is not as unlikeable as many believe. Check out for yourself:

Still, A-Rod has been making the headlines for more controversial reasons recently. In the same event, he had a couple of viral moments that stirred the pot before he’d even thrown a pass in black and gold.

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin, known for commanding locker room unity, has kept things buttoned up around Rodgers’ fiery persona. But insiders know: if Rodgers doesn’t back the noise with wins, Pittsburgh’s patience won’t last long. He’s no longer in Green Bay or New York, this is a city that booed Terry Bradshaw. But while Rodgers commands the spotlight, there’s another quarterback quietly earning his stripes behind the scenes.

Rodgers promises experience, but Howard could be the Steelers’ real long-term bet

While the former Packers commands headlines, a quiet subplot is developing behind him that might just shape Pittsburgh’s post-Rodgers era. Enter Will Howard, the sixth-round rookie with a rocket arm and a Big Ten title under his belt. Howard’s name barely rang out during the NFL Draft, but his tape speaks volumes.

A season at Ohio State with 4,000 yards and 35 touchdowns after moving from Kansas State? That’s not nothing. The Steelers didn’t just happen to find him. They met him at the Combine, hosted a top-30 visit, and gave him a serious look before grabbing him at No. 185 overall.

“He’s been so awesome to me so far,” Howard said of Rodgers on the Chipped Ham & Football podcast. “As much or as little as I want, he’s there.” It’s a mentorship dynamic that could quietly pay off in ways the Steelers aren’t even banking on. Howard has time to cook without being thrown to the wolves because Rodgers and Mason Rudolph are ahead of him.

The Steelers know the odds. Most Day 3 quarterbacks don’t pan out. But this one is in a rare developmental cocoon: a stable franchise, a Hall of Fame mentor, and no pressure to perform right away. But it might be what Pittsburgh needs when the Rodgers era comes to a close, no matter how loud or short-lived it is.

As fans line up for tees they may never wear and Aaron Rodgers drops heat before even donning the black and gold in a game, there’s a quiet calm behind it all. Will Howard isn’t Pittsburgh’s quarterback of today. But he might just be the one they didn’t know they’d need tomorrow.