The Pittsburgh Steelers are entering 2025 with a new quarterback, but Aaron Rodgers feels as if he has been with the organization for a while. Although on his third team in the last four years, Rodgers believes the organization reminds him of his longtime home of the Green Bay Packers.
Environmentally, the cities of Green Bay and Pittsburgh could not be more different. However, Rodgers still feels that the Steelers' organization “reminds” him of his first team due to their similar histories as decorated franchises.
“This place reminds me of Green Bay,” Rodgers said, via ‘The Athletic.' “And I say that with the utmost amount of respect, because there are a few cornerstone franchises in the league, and we all know who those are. And there’s a reason they’ve had sustained excellence over the years. Obviously, they’ve won six Super Bowls here and Green Bay's won 13 world championships. But there’s a way that they operate that sets them apart, and it’s kind of ingrained in the culture.
“I feel like, because there is such a history of excellence, that there’s almost an underlying, tacit way of carrying yourself. Some owners, these days, are quick to pull the trigger to make a change. But when you have the right culture, and it’s obvious what to do, the one thing that never changes, and shouldn’t, is the person at the top, leading from the front.”
One of the main reasons Rodgers joined the Steelers was because of his respect for Mike Tomlin, the league's longest-tenured head coach. The 41-year-old has always valued consistency in his career and prioritized it in his 2025 free agency decision, following the two-year fiasco he endured with the New York Jets.
Aaron Rodgers hopes to bring Steelers to seventh Super Bowl
As successful as they have been historically, the Steelers have not had much to hang their hats on in the last decade. Pittsburgh has not been to the Super Bowl since 2008, when they claimed their second championship in four years.
The Steelers' drought goes beyond just title victories. Pittsburgh has won just five playoff games since Super Bowl XLIII and just three postseason victories in the last decade. They have not made it past the Divisional Round since losing to the Packers in Super Bowl XLV in 2010.
While Rodgers hopes to turn the franchise around, he will have his work cut out for him. The four-time MVP has not made it back to the Super Bowl himself since beating the Steelers in the aforementioned Super Bowl XLV.
