The Pittsburgh Steelers have one of the best quarterbacks in the history of the league preparing to start his second season with the team, and that keeps a lot of eyeballs on the franchise. That is especially true since Aaron Rodgers has already announced that he will be retiring after the 2026 season comes to a close, marking this as the final season of his Hall of Fame career. Rodgers has a ton of accolades and his reputation speaks for itself, which might make it a bit intimidating for younger guys to come in and work with him. He is a polarizing figure, and that can be daunting for a rookie just entering the league.
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Steelers' quarterback Aaron Rodgers looks into the distance with intense focus as he stands in street clothes while the team works out during a 2025 training camp practice at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.
Rodgers has always been very demanding of his wide receivers, and that is especially true when it comes to the younger players. He needs to be able to trust everyone he might be throwing the ball to, and it is important that everyone is on the same page. There were some theories that he was not on the same page with Roman Wilson in 2025, which led to the second-year player essentially being benched at the end of the year.
In 2026, there is a new, young wide receiver entering the fold in Pittsburgh. The franchise drafted Germie Bernard in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft, and he is expected to contribute immediately. That is going to mean getting a lot of work in with Rodgers, and the young wide receiver was on Not Just Football With Cam Heyward on Monday where he shared what it is like to play with the four-time league MVP.
"I'm not going to lie, it's challenging," Bernard said. "I be having, lowkey, a little bit of anxiety when I'm out there with him, just because I don't really want to mess up. Then I feel like he is gonna chew my a** out. But at the same time, I enjoy being there with him and being under him, because he's just teaching me the game. He's giving me all of the knowledge he knows about the game. It's helping me elevate for sure. But I ain't going to lie, I be lowkey scared. I feel like I can't mess up around him. That's the truth."
There is definitely some pressure that comes with playing with a quarterback like Rodgers, especially in his final season. There should be some added pressure for the guys taking the field with him, and that could be a good thing moving forward.
Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (X: @JSKO_PHOTO)
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) during 2026 training camp at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.
Rodgers expects excellence from everyone he plays with, which is something that shouldn't be new for Bernard. He played at Alabama, and that is an institution that expects nothing less than the best. It is one of the best football programs of all time, which comes with its own kind of pressure. Playing with a Hall of Fame quarterback is different, but the pressure is still there regardless.
Steelers Knew A Rookie Would Face Pressure With Aaron Rodgers At Quarterback
Rodgers did not sign with Pittsburgh until after the 2026 NFL Draft, but the franchise had to have a pretty strong idea that he was going to be coming back. This would have had to factor in with any decision to draft a rookie wide receiver, especially in the second round after trading up. The Steelers would not have drafted Bernard had they not thought that he would be able to handle the pressure and the demands that come from playing with a quarterback like Rodgers.
Bernard is currently the fourth wide receiver on the depth chart, but he should find a way to make an impact early on.
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