Oaron Rogers in a new chapter with the Pittsburgh Steelers
Aaron Rodgers met with the media after his first practice with the Pittsburgh Steelers and explained why this was the right time to sign the team.
Sports Pulse
PITTSBURGH — Hours after Aaron Rodgers became official after signing his contract at team headquarters on Saturday, a new Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback has appeared in backyard cooking.
When Rogers arrived, the host leapt out of his seat at the edge of the driveway and greeted his famous visitors with fellow hats. Rogers brought the gift he presented to the host. Elegant movement.
the host? Mike Tomlin.
It was classic to witness this energetic exchange. The love on display between Rogers and his new coach seemed so authentic. And what a fitting place for Rogers to jumpstart the process of adapting to a new environment.
The quarterback looked laid back, open and comfortable, mixing with Tomlin and many guests for a few hours during the cookout.
“It was really cool,” Rogers recalled on Tuesday during his debut at the opening of Steelers Minicamp, telling USA Today Sports. “We had a great time.”
For several years, Tomlin has held the event on his calendar, inviting staff, family and friends. This year he doubled his top shelf catering and added a barbecue to his regular Louisiana seafood dishes. So Rogers’ timing was spot-on.
And his presence may have increased in importance given the weight of 41-year-old Rodgers’ new relationship with Tomlin as a key factor in joining the Steelers. For most of the offseason, he spoke with Tomlin at least once a week as Rodgers categorized countless personal and professional issues, including retirement.
“The way the conversation took place between him and me was some of the coolest conversations I had in the game in March, between April and when I called him. No doubt with the head coach,” Rodgers said at a post-practical press conference. “He’s a big reason why I’m here. I believe in him and I’m excited to play for him.”
Rogers added that the atmosphere with Tomlin ultimately narrowed his process.
“I’m sure there will be conversations with other organizations, but when I was experiencing something personal after falling between me and the microphone, there was no other option,” Rogers said. “It was here or didn’t play.” The bond with Tomlin is undoubtedly essential to Pittsburgh’s potential for a positive experience. But it’s not the only important relationship that Rogers wants to develop.
His social calendar over the past few days is evidence of his intentions. Rodgers followed Tomlyn Cookout by taking part in a player outing hosted by team captain Cam Hayward.
“That was good,” Rogers told USA Today Sports about his adaptation process. “It’s exciting. I went to Cam’s cooking on Sunday and then to his golf tournament (Monday).”
At a Hayward event that raised funds for his charity foundation, DK Metcalf rode a shotgun while Rogers drove a golf cart. How to fit. Metcalf, a massive receiver acquired by the Steelers from the Seattle Seahawks in March, is Rogers’ most talented weapon. They need to bond.
And they know that.
Metcalf worked with Rogers of Southern California early in the offseason. And Rogers said the recipient was “blowing” his phone in a text message. Meanwhile, tight end Pat Freiermuth is linked to direct social media messaging. Rogers and Freyelms were able to reach the US Open Golf Tournament in Oakmont, Pennsylvania this weekend.
Then there’s the issue of soccer chemistry. Rogers is about to arrange training with players in skilled positions during the five-week window from the end of the minicamp to the July 23rd reporting date of training camp in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. Details are TBD. But Rogers, who owns a home in Southern California, covers the location.
“We have to convince them to come out in Malibu, California,” he said.
Rogers was involved in conditioning and individual soccer drills on his first day at the minicamp. His movements were fluid and his passes were tight and clear. He offered to do more and join the team drill, but Tomlin unraveled the idea.
“The June rep is far more important to a guy like Will Howard at this stage in his career than a guy who’s been doing it for 20 years,” Tomlin used his sixth rookie for comparison. “So, no matter what he gets, you’re robbing him from guys like Will Howard, and we’re about to prepare this collective for training camp.”
In other words, Rogers is folded, so you don’t need to push it at this point.
On top of that, he is still learning to attack. The other quarterbacks took a snap with the team drill, but Rogers listened to the helmet play call and performed it in the practice script. He also spent time talking to offensive coordinator Arthur Smith.
It reminds me of more adaptation. As Rodgers absorbs the new offense, Smith is tasked with adjusting the scheme to his Hall of Fame quarterback. The ability to mesh is extremely important and brings scrutiny considering the reported friction between Smith and another veteran quarterback Russell Wilson last season.
Meanwhile, Rogers has long been considered to have one of the NFL’s sharpest minds. This leads to the expectation that there will be a wide range of leeways in the system.
But he basically pushed back a bit on Tuesday when he basically asked if he needed freedom to take over a crime when he thought it was appropriate.
“It’s not right, somehow, that I played most of my career outside the offensive system, or that I spent most of my career,” Rogers said. “I’m going to learn to attack, and Arthur and I, if there’s anything I like this summer, I’ll see in attack, Arthur, I’ll try to put it in. But he knows how to call the game.
Would you like to have Aaron cook?
stay tuned. But this week it’s about finding his way around the chef and Steelers headquarters.
“Everything is new,” Rogers said. “It’s like the first day of school. I don’t know a lot of people’s names. They don’t have names on the back of the jerseys here. They don’t have names in the meeting room door. So I literally left the locker room. But I feel that.”
Rogers’ first day at the minicamp included a message to his new teammates during the team meeting. After his long-term pondering, it was probably a message that needed to be expressed before he decided to join the Steelers on a one-year contract.
Especially now, as Rogers moves to a new chapter.
“He said he was all-in and ready,” second-year centrezac Frazier reported.
A message that is surely unharmed by the adaptation process.
Follow Jarrett Bell on social media: @Jarrettbell