Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Aaron Rodgers seems to be in a different headspace before his 21st season in the league.
The 41-year-old signed a one-year deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers in June before announcing that 2025 will likely be his last season in the NFL.
Maybe it’s the nostalgia of a final training camp or that the Steelers align more naturally with Rodgers’ energy, but an observation Tuesday by Mark Kaboly of “The Pat McAfee Show” stands out compared to the usual reports we’ve seen from recent Green Bay Packers and New York Jets camps.
“I’ve never met Aaron Rodgers until this year and my observation of him — including a couple of minutes ago — that he is a very happy and relaxed individual,” Kaboly wrote on X. “Seems like he’s enjoying this entire process to the max.
Once again, just an observation.
Maybe he has always been like this but it’s definitely noticeable to me and this is my 23rd year covering the Steelers. I’ve seen a lot.”
The New York Post reported in July 2024 that Rodgers was “barking and emphatically gesturing” at his Jets teammates early in training camp.
In 2022, Rodgers’ final season in Green Bay, the four-time MVP quarterback voiced his frustration with then-rookie wide receivers Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs dropping passes in training camp.
Despite his venting, Rodgers has missed the playoffs the last three seasons. However, the 2025 Steelers are built better than the teams that made Rodgers upset in recent summers.
His mellowness may be an encouraging sign for Pittsburgh before a highly anticipated season.
Jordan Sigler
Jordan Sigler is a sports writer with a decade of experience as a journalist, including his time as a breaking news/day cops reporter for the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. His sports coverage across the NFL, NBA, WNBA, MLB, NHL, and college football world has also been featured at ChiCitySports, Gridiron Heroics, Pro Football Network, and Athlon Sports. Based in Austin, Texas, Jordan graduated with a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Texas Tech University in 2014
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