That mutual attraction between Aaron Rodgers and the city of Pittsburgh might be a bit one-sided at times, depending on who you ask within the Pittsburgh Steelers fan base. Many fans might take Rodgers' words with a grain of salt, but he’s never wavered on his displays of affection for the city that now represents his football home.
Rodgers spoke with the media after his first practice with his new club and detailed why Pittsburgh makes for a great fit at this late stage in his career.
“I think it starts with Mike Tomlin,” Rodgers said. “I’ve been a fan of his for a long time.”
Aaron Rodgers' shows major respect for the Pittsburgh Steelers' history
The mutual respect between Rodgers and Tomlin dates back well over a decade, but two instances of Tomlin outwitting the future Hall of Famer have served as primary examples in recent years.
“There’s a few iconic franchises in the NFL, I played for one for 18 years, and this is another one of those,” Rodgers said. “There’s something special, obviously, about this area. So many great quarterbacks from Pittsburgh. I feel like Pittsburgh has been a part of my career from the beginning, playing for Mike McCarthy for 13 years… Lotta Yinzers in my life.”
Once Rodgers steps onto the field at Acrisure Stadium for the first time in full uniform, he’ll be able to count himself among the long list of Pittsburgh football characters, several of whom he mentioned by name, to make NFL history in the Steel City. Of course, whether that history has a positive or negative outcome remains to be seen.
Even if there are mammoth question marks surrounding the Steelers' process to acquire Rodgers and his potential to play at or near his once elite level, seeing him on the field and in front of a Steelers media backdrop makes the entire situation more digestible. Rodgers is here, for better or worse, but at least he’s approaching it with a smile and warm greetings.