After months of intense speculation, Aaron Rodgers finally re-signed with the Steelers and wasted no time getting to work.
The 42-year-old quarterback, who recently agreed to a one-year deal worth up to $25 million, showed up at the Steelers’ practice facility early Monday morning for the team’s first voluntary OTA workout. His teammates were both surprised and excited to see him back.
Teammates React With Surprise And Excitement As Aaron Rodgers Returns to the Steelers
Linebacker Payton Wilson ran into Rodgers around 7 a.m. as the veteran QB was heading out to take his physical. “I was walking in, and he was coming out, and it was good to see him,” Wilson said, per ESPN. “I was a little shocked, definitely.”
The contrast to last year was hard to miss. Back then, Rodgers didn’t arrive in Pittsburgh until just before mandatory minicamp.
This time around, he beat most of his teammates through the door. After finishing his physical, Rodgers was back inside the facility by 7:45 a.m. The team officially announced his signing right as practice got underway, just after 11 a.m.
Kicker Chris Boswell liked what he saw. “For him to come back early right now and be around the guys, obviously one of his previous coaches, I mean, it’s only positive,” he said.
Once on the field, Rodgers took first-team reps during the offensive install. He worked through a run period before handing things off to Will Howard, then a passing period in which he completed five throws.
Michael Pittman Jr., who was acquired in a trade from the Indianapolis Colts, caught two of those passes. And he was already impressed. “Even in the first day, he made a couple of great throws, and I was like, wow, I’m really playing with Aaron,” Pittman said.
He also offered some perspective on the experience: “I get to play with another Hall of Fame quarterback because I got to play with Philip Rivers. I’m going to say he’s going to make it. So this is my second.”
BE AN NFL GM: PFSN’s Ultimate GM Simulator
Pittman also touched on what it’s like figuring out Rodgers’ preferences. “He’s going to tell you,” Pittman said with a laugh. The receiver noted that Rodgers has a veteran’s command of exactly what he wants from his weapons, and he won’t hesitate to speak up. “If you’re not doing what you’re supposed to do, he’s going to let you know, which is good. I think it’s good to have that leadership.”
Players did not learn through official channels that Rodgers was coming back. Tackle Troy Fautanu, for example, found out the same way plenty of fans did.
“We all found out on Instagram,” he said. “I opened my app and seen Pat McAfee had posted it and I was like, ‘Here we go!'”
Fautanu added that getting back into the rhythm with Rodgers took only a moment. “I was happy to see him back, obviously to have our leader back from last year,” he said. “Once he got back in there after that first snap, it was kind of like we never left.”
Rodgers is back, and he seems more focused than ever. The veteran quarterback ranks in the top 10 all-time in major passing categories. He also sits fourth with 527 touchdowns and fifth with 66,274 passing yards.
According to PFSN’s QB Impact Metric, he posted an impact score of 71.1 last season, ranking 29th at the position.
