Steelers' Arthur Smith Customizing Playbook For Aaron Rodgers' Strengths

The Pittsburgh Steelers have had plenty of attention this offseason thanks to a bunch of major roster changes. The biggest headline by far has been the acquisition of veteran quarterback, and likely future Hall of Famer, Aaron Rodgers, who signed a one-year deal with the Steelers. Given Rodgers’ highly successful career, it’s no surprise that his arrival has come with both excitement and scrutiny, and that has only increased since he came to Pittsburgh.

There’s been plenty of speculation about what the Steelers’ offensive scheme will look like with Rodgers under center. Factors like Rodgers’ experience, unique playing style, the coaching staff, and the talent around him all play a role in shaping the approach. Recently, Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith addressed the media, sharing his perspective on working with Rodgers and explaining how he plans to draw from his past experience to build a system that plays to the quarterback’s strengths.

"I know that’s been a topic of discussion here and how I do stuff, but I have always given every quarterback I had — whether [Marcus] Mariota and [Ryan] Tannehill [in Tennessee] to Matt Ryan to [Desmond] Ridder [in Atlanta] to Justin [Fields] and Russ [Russell Wilson] and Mason [Rudolph], you try to play into your strengths," Smith said. "With Aaron, you’re talking about a guy with 20-plus years."

Smith clearly brings a lot of experience working with a variety of quarterbacks, each with their own strengths and styles. From veterans to younger, developing players, Smith has shown the ability to adapt his offensive approach based on who’s under center. Still, none of those quarterbacks compare to Rodgers because, well, there’s no one quite like him.

One thing that really makes Rodgers stand out is his arm talent. It’s helped him make some of the biggest and most memorable plays of his career. Even now, reports say that his arm strength is still one of his best attributes. That’s something Smith seems to be keeping in mind as he plans the offense to match Rodgers’ strengths.

The Steelers' organization seems to support that approach by surrounding Rodgers with plenty of offensive weapons to set him up for success. One of the most notable additions is veteran wide receiver DK Metcalf, a proven playmaker who’s already starting to build a strong connection with Rodgers.

Rodgers gave fans a glimpse of his current arm strength when he connected with Metcalf for a touchdown during the team's seven shots drill at training camp. The throw quickly gained attention across the league. Even Head Coach Mike Tomlin acknowledged the play, noting that it was exactly what he had envisioned throughout the offseason, further proof of the team’s commitment to building the offense around Rodgers this year.

With this likely being Rodgers’ final season, there’s a lot of pressure on the Steelers to have a strong performance. Rodgers is likely to be focused on ending his historic career on a high note, while the organization is equally determined to take improve from last year and stay competitive in what’s arguably one of the toughest divisions and conferences in the NFL. 

The Steelers Have Other Positions To Help Rodgers

The Steelers aren’t relying solely on their wide receivers to support Rodgers, nor are they depending just on his arm strength. They’ve strengthened their receiving options by adding talented tight ends, providing Rodgers with more weapons in the passing game. Additionally, the team has drafted a new running back in Kaleb Johnson to help improve the rushing game, aiming to build a strong ground game for years to come. On top of that, the Steelers have made key upgrades on defense, focusing on building a unit capable of winning tough games and competing at a high level throughout the season.

All of these factors combined give the Steelers a real chance to succeed this season. While there is a lot of pressure on Rodgers to perform at a high level and stay healthy, the rest of the team also faces the challenge of stepping up and having strong performances. They must not only focus on winning now, but also work toward building a foundation for success in the future, something very hard to do.

#SteelerNation