Aaron Rodgers - , steelers Event: Media Availability | Date: 2026-09-09 | Full transcript (primary source).
Aaron Rodgers spoke to the media during a press conference for the Pittsburgh Steelers on September 9, 2026. This media availability comes as the team prepares for the upcoming season, allowing Rodgers to share insights on team dynamics and player performances.
Transcript
Rodgers: I know you get to see it every day in practice. Is there a level of curiosity or anticipation about finally getting to see your new toys in a game? Which ones? Just the offensive chip. Yeah, yeah, I'm excited about it. It's been a long time since we played together and we got some new guys. It'll be fun to be out there with some live reps.
Rodgers: Well, I think he's had a really good couple weeks. It looks like he's healthy. He's running around really good, making a lot of plays. So I'm really, really happy seeing him out there and seeing him feeling healthy.
Rodgers: Yeah, it's a very good secondary. Jeff is one of my favorite people in the league and I had extreme pleasure playing for him in New York. He's a great defensive coordinator. He's an incredible guy and he's got a good scheme on defense. I got a really good back end. I know Mike. Mike works out with us in the offseason. AJ has been a top corner since he started walking around probably. And safety is a really talented. Bates has been around a while, but he flies around and Watts is a really good player. I think the thing that stands out the most with the safeties is the ball skills. Got great ball skills. So you got to be going to be accurate.
Rodgers: Probably exactly what you think. I mean, this is a big deal for Mike and like it would be for anybody going to coaching at a pro football team in their own town. So I'm really happy for Mike. It's a great full circle moment for him. And I'm excited to go out and put on some good time for Mike this weekend.
Rodgers: A lot. A lot worked.
Rodgers: Yeah, runs work pretty good too. Yeah. Mike's a good play caller. We got a good relationship quarterback to play caller. There's a lot of trust going both ways. And I'm excited about what it's going to feel like to hear his voice. Very Pittsburgh's voice in my helmet again.
Rodgers: Oh, it's no better. It's no better. I mean, it's tough sometimes. That's why you really got to study the plan because he'll say a word that if you just like spell it out, even if you're doing hooked on phonics, it would not sound anywhere near what he's saying. So you got to know the plan pretty well to fill in the gaps in the language barrier.
Rodgers: Oh, not really. I mean, I have some butterflies, but that's normal. If you don't have them, you're probably in the wrong business. So I look forward to those feelings, whether it's the offense getting called out or the defense. It's exciting being out there in pregame, and I'd be excited for the kickoff.
Rodgers: In some ways, yes. In other ways, absolutely not. His style of comedy is never-ending. He's the type of guy that doesn't just like... I like to lay a joke and let it sit. He just hammers it home. And then if it doesn't work with the first person, he'll go to the second person and the third person. If it works with the first person, he'll do the exact same thing with everybody else. But Ben's got a great contagious energy, obviously an all-pro player, and has become a fast friend for sure.
Rodgers: 2018 is one of my favorites, just because I got banged up there in the second quarter and came back. We're down 17, but ended up being down 20 to nothing. We came back and won. 2008, we played on a Monday night against Minnesota on my first start. That was a good one. I think a lot of other ones. Definitely not 2023. Yeah, I've made some good ones.
Rodgers: Zero. Zero.
Rodgers: Yeah, it's been good. I know Mike's system. He obviously changed some things in Dallas. And was in the system I've been in for the last five or six years. Good blend of both the offenses.
Rodgers: I mean, I think Mike believes in, like he said this morning actually, everybody has leadership abilities. And I think there's got to be a way to foster that. It's great opportunities for young guys especially, or special teamers to lead. Because it doesn't always have to be the best player on the team, or the oldest player on the team, or the guy with the most Pro Bowls, or the guy who's been on the team the longest to lead. I mean, young players need to step up and lead. And some of the guys over my past, who've been the best leaders, have been the leaders by example. But every now and then you give those guys a chance to speak. So, I mean, I don't have a preference either way. I like what we did over the years in Green Bay. You know, we also gave out like a capitalist picture for wins, which is a cool thing to hold on to.
Rodgers: Yeah, I mean, I think you guys know who the captains are on the team. And this is just the weekly captains.
Unknown: Do you expect players from other teams to treat me differently? Do you agree with the end before you were then? What are they doing last week?
Rodgers: They don't take it easy on the old guy, if that's what you're talking about. They don't do that at all.
Unknown: Chatter or post games?
Rodgers: Nobody really chatters anymore. It's kind of a quiet field.
Unknown: What was it like to sit down with Cam for the podcast? Now is that relationship with him growing? What's your time here?
Rodgers: I'm going back to last year when I came in the week before Minicamp. I did two events with Cam. I did his golf tournament, and I went to his house for kind of the big off-season get-together he has. I was always a fan from afar. We played him a couple times. I respected his game. But Cam and I have definitely become a lot closer. I'm excited about the podcast and very excited about part two tomorrow.
Rodgers: Alright, thank you.
