After a brief detour through New York, Aaron Rodgers’ long, strange NFL trip will continue in Western Pennsylvania. The future Hall of Famer eventually agreed to join the Pittsburgh Steelers this offseason, signing a one-year contract in free agency. Rodgers will partner with head coach Mike Tomlin for his age-42 season, making Super Bowl history in the process.

The seasoned passer and the veteran coach have seen a lot of football in their storied careers. Rodgers entered the league in 2005 after he was drafted 24th overall by the Green Bay Packers. Tomlin became an NFL head coach for the first time two years later, taking over the Steelers job from Bill Cowher in 2007.

The two would square off in Super Bowl 45 after the 2010 season and the Steelers would fall to the Packers 31-25 with Rodgers being named the game’s Most Valuable Player.

Now that the four-time league MVP has joined Pittsburgh, it marks just the second time in NFL history that a quarterback has played for a head coach who he previously beat in a Super Bowl, per Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.

Mike Tomlin believes Aaron Rodgers makes the Steelers contenders

Dec 25, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin watches warm ups against the Kansas City Chiefs at Acrisure Stadium.
Barry Reeger-Imagn Images
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The only other time such a situation occurred was in 1993 when QB Phil Simms teamed up with head coach Dan Reeves. Simms and the New York Giants beat Reeves’ Denver Broncos in Super Bowl 21 (and like Rodgers, Simms won Super Bowl MVP).

Reeves was then hired to helm the Giants seven years later, in what would be Simms’ final NFL season. New York went 11-5 in 1993, reaching the playoffs and winning in the Wild Card round. Reeves earned Coach of the Year honors in his Giants debut.

Tomlin is hoping that the addition of Rodgers has a similar effect in 2025. The Steelers even operated out of character, waiting patiently for the quarterback to decide if he would play for the team. In fact, Tomlin was instrumental in landing Rodgers.

Still, opinions vary on what signing the 10-time Pro Bowler will mean for the Steelers. Rodgers takes run the gamut from potential savior to long term detriment as insiders believe his addition will make the team a Super Bowl contender or irrelevant by Thanksgiving and Pittsburgh was either wise or desperate to pursue the 20-year veteran.

There’s no doubt that Aaron Rodgers is one of the most polarizing athletes in professional sports. But perhaps a strong-headed and accomplished coach like Tomlin (who won his own Lombardi Trophy in 2008) can get the most out of what’s left of Rodgers in the twilight of his incredible career.