The Pittsburgh Steelers were very eager to bring back quarterback Aaron Rodgers for 2026 as the four-time MVP may have a little bit more in the tank. At very least, he has a very high football IQ to the point where he can help mentor the young passers, and hopefully help at least one of them become a capable starter at the NFL level. There are some concerns around his ability, which is fair for any 42-year-old athlete, but he's looking to prove all the doubters wrong and end his career on a high note.
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Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers takes a knee and looks off into the distance as the team gets ready to participate during a 2025 training camp practice in Latrobe, PA.
Unfortunately, Rodgers' first impression at training camp appears to be a negative one. This isn't just a one-off problem; it's something that plagued the Steelers throughout the 2025 season. Nick Farabaugh explained what happened after the first day of camp concluded.
There were two or three miscommunications today between Aaron Rodgers and Roman Wilson / Germie Bernard.
— Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) July 29, 2026
One thing I'll be watching for in training camp for obvious reasons. Those guys competing for that WR3 role.
Of all the critiques of Rodgers, the one that has proven to be true time and time again is the fact that he does not get along well with young receivers. He is rarely able to develop chemistry with them, and that already feels like the case in Latrobe. With two young receivers competing for his trust, this is already off to a bad start for all parties involved, and who knows if it will actually get better?
The issue is very simple: Rodgers has a very particular way of doing things. He wants everything to happen in a very specific manner, but that usually doesn't translate to the young receivers. They are trying to figure out how to make things work at the NFL level in general, so it's harder for them to put all of their time and effort into learning how to do things the way that one quarterback wants it done.
© Charles LeClaire / Imagn Images
Steelers' Germie Bernard looks in a pass during Organized Team Activities (OTAs) in Pittsburgh during the 2026 offseason.
Germie Bernard is just a rookie. Obviously, he's not expected to be perfect in his very first day of training camp. It's not the miscommunication part that's troubling, as that is normal for players like him. It's the fact that Rodgers does not take kindly to issues like this, and it could result in him getting demoted. Instead of competing to be WR3, he might end up as a WR5 if things don't turn around quickly.
Steelers Still Can't Get Key Connection Working
At least Bernard is new and his issues are more excusable. Roman Wilson, on the other hand, has had a year to try and develop some kind of chemistry with Rodgers, and it hasn't worked out at all. The fact that it's Year 2 of the veteran quarterback being on the team and they still can't get on the same page is a very bad sign for things to come. History says that things likely won't change here at all.
In training camp of 2025, Wilson was competing for WR2, but he quickly fell in the depth chart. He became a bubble player that had to fight for the ability to make the 53-man roster, let alone get any sort of action on game days. The two had frequent miscommunications all the way into practice in the preseason, and he only had one target in the first four weeks of the season.
Right when it looked like Rodgers and Wilson were potentially getting on the same page, everything became awful. Wilson did not have a single reception in two weeks, and then he became a healthy scratch in favor of a waiver-wire pickup and an old friend from the Green Bay Packers. He only appeared in one game in the final six weeks, which includes the Wild Card game. He was not targeted in that game.
What do you think about Rodgers already have miscommunications with his young receivers again? Let us know on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.
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