Arthur Smith’s fallout with Russel Wilson drove him out of Pittsburgh, as Wilson is the likely QB1 for the New York Giants this season. Aaron Rodgers is looking to avoid creating further chaos as the former Green Bay Packers and New York Jets QB once again has a new home. After it seemed like Rodgers would never leave the Packers, the four-time NFL MVP has much to prove as his career winds down.
Looking at How Arthur Smith and Aaron Rodgers Can Stay on the Same Page
Beginning his NFL coaching career in 2007, Smith was once again given the chance to be an offensive coordinator after his failed time as the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons. Smith and Wilson did not exactly see eye to eye in his first season as the Steelers’ OC, with Pittsburgh opting to look elsewhere heading into 2025. Not being pleased with their choices, Rodgers was the man chosen to come in and switch things up.
Should the opportunity present itself, Mason Rudolph, Will Howard, and Skylar Thompson all have the chance to back up Rodgers. Smith and Rodgers have run into each other before, but they have never had the chance to work together. Steelers insider Mike DeFabo commented on their relationship.
The Steelers ran the ball fourth-most last year, while Aaron Rodgers attempted the second-most passes.
Arthur Smith on marrying together a run-heavy OC with pass-happy QB:
“We didn’t bring Aaron in here and sign DK for all that money to go run the wishbone.” pic.twitter.com/vtFfLRQGQ9
— Mike DeFabo (@MikeDeFabo) June 11, 2025
“From what I understand, there was some friction between Wilson and Smith by the end of the 2024 season,” he said. “Some of that centered on how frequently the QB wanted to make adjustments at the line of scrimmage. It’s not that Smith was completely opposed to Wilson making changes or told him he wasn’t allowed to do so, but there were times the OC wanted the QB to run the play as called.”
DeFabo continued, “I think Smith has enough respect for Rodgers that he’ll afford the four-time MVP a bit more freedom, especially with hand signals to make route adjustments without changing the entire play. In my opinion, if the Steelers believe in Rodgers at this stage of his career, their best bet is that the veteran can use his brain and his experience to work around any physical limitations.”
While Rodgers might not have the best options at wide receiver, he’s a four-time MVP for a reason. The Jets might not have had the chance to get Rodgers during his prime, but the 41-year-old still seems to have a lot left in the tank. He’s destined to play in the league until he can no longer, opting not to retire this past offseason. If Smith and Rodgers remain on the same page, they’ll be a force to be reckoned with.