Throughout this offseason, the Pittsburgh Steelers claimed they were comfortable with Mason Rudolph starting games, if need be. However, now that Aaron Rodgers is officially in the fold, it’s hard to deny the fact that the offense finally feels like it has an identity. According to third-year left tackle Broderick Jones, that identity seems to be a good one.
“He came in with the right attitude,” Jones said, speaking to the media after Wednesday’s minicamp practice. “He’s out there, he’s involved, he’s catching onto the plays, he’s in the playbook. He’s doing all the things he should be doing. I feel like he’s gonna be a great addition to the team for us… Just how cool, calm, collected he is…. He’s still levelheaded, he’s coming in ready to work.”
Cool, calm, and collected seems to be a fitting way to describe the way Rodgers is conducting himself in Pittsburgh. That was the vibe he gave off during his first media appearance on Tuesday. Declining to comment on his former teams, speaking highly of Mike Tomlin and Arthur Smith, Rodgers seemed far less controversial than many feared he’d be during the Steelers’ months-long wait on him.
At his age, it makes sense. Aaron Rodgers has seen and done just about everything in his NFL career. He spoke about wanting to be a leader for the team, and it seems like he’s starting things on the right foot. While he’s obviously never been an offensive lineman, that unit, including Jones, is one that could certainly use his leadership.
It’s paramount that Rodgers and Jones, specifically, get on the same page. Jones is now moving back to his familiar spot at left tackle. During the last two years, he’s been flip-flopped from one end of the line to the other. He’s shown glimpses of what the Steelers desire out of him when they made him their first-round pick back in 2023. However, he’s yet to put it all together. Elsewhere on that unit, young players like Zach Frazier, Troy Fautanu, and Mason McCormick all have some growing to do as well.
Of course, it’s only minicamp. There’s a long way until the season begins, and everybody sounds hopeful in June. However, considering the fact that the Steelers punted their need for a young quarterback until next offseason, they could have done far worse than Rodgers for the 2025 season.
As Mike Tomlin would say, Aaron Rodgers’ resume speaks for itself. If he can refrain from making mistakes and elevate the offense when he needs to, the Steelers could be in good shape. For what it’s worth, his first interactions with his new teammates in Pittsburgh seem to be good ones.
