“A lot of conversations with Mike and (general manager) Omar [Khan] for a while and you know, I just had a lot of conversations with my wife about it,” he said. “After the draft, I decided I wanted to play, I wanted to come back.”
Rodgers spent his first 18 years in Green Bay, 13 of them under McCarthy. After two forgettable years in New York, he had an up-and-down first campaign in Pittsburgh last year, throwing for 3,322 yards with 24 touchdowns and seven interceptions in a limited offense. The Steelers upgraded their weapons this offseason, trading for wide receiver Michael Pittman and drafting Germie Bernard in the second round. These additions should make Rodgers’ life easier.
Reuniting with McCarthy went a long way in Rodgers’ decision to play in 2026. The guy noted that his familiarity with the fundamentals of the offense will make any transition easier, but added that there are still new facets to learn.
“I spent 13 years on (the McCarthy offense),” he said. “He’s changed something when he was in Dallas with Dak [Prescott]. I will fight for a few things that I will be stubborn about, conceptually speaking. I think part of the process is just growing. I need to fix some of the things I’ve done or the terms I like. It’s a fun learning experience right now.”
Ending his 22-year run under the same coach that helped launch his Hall of Fame career appealed to Rodgers.
“There’s definitely a ring to it that got me interested from the start,” he said.