The Pittsburgh Steelers are getting ready to begin the 2026 season, and this is an exciting year with a new coaching staff running the show. It is also the first time that the starting quarterback will be the same in consecutive years since the 2020 and 2021 seasons. That continuity should breed some optimism, as should the new offensive approach from Head Coach Mike McCarthy. He is reuniting with quarterback Aaron Rodgers after the two spent some time apart, but each individual played a large role in the career of the other. They won a Super Bowl together, and now Rodgers gets to end his career under the coach he had so much success with.
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Steelers' Aaron Rodgers walks off the field after a preseason game with the Green Bay Packers.
Rodgers and McCarthy parted ways initially after McCarthy was fired by the Green Bay Packers in the middle of the 2018 season on Rodgers' birthday. That was a bad year for the Packers, and the organization went out and hired Matt LaFleur during the 2019 offseason. He is still the coach for Green Bay, and he coached Rodgers through two MVP seasons and the end of his time with the Packers. Rodgers' last season in Green Bay came in 2022 as the organization was ready to move on to former first-round pick Jordan Love.
Rodgers went on Wilde And Tausch of ESPN Madison on Thursday, and he was asked about LaFleur's recent comments where he said that Love was the best quarterback he had ever coached when it comes to making adjustments at the line of scrimmage.
"He's probably still mad I changed too many of his plays," Rodgers said. "Big statement to make when you had a guy win back-to-back MVPs. Guess I wasn't doing too much at the LOS. Matt's a clown man, he says some things from time to time that are funny where he's like, 'Oh, maybe I shouldn't have said that.' Like, he's backing up his quarterback. I'm sure J-Love is really good at the line of scrimmage. But, come on man."
The veteran quarterback did not approach this answer with any sort of animosity. He seemed to be joking with his former head coach while also noting that there is no way Love is better than he is at making the proper adjustments at the line of scrimmage. LaFleur and Rodgers never made it to the Super Bowl or anything, but the two did have a ton of offensive success together.
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Packers Head Coach Matt LaFleur gets animated on the sideline during a home game at Lambeau Field as his team participates in a professional football game in Green Bay, WI.
Rodgers won the NFL's MVP Award in 2020 and 2021 while being coached by LaFleur, and the two did go on some deep playoff runs during their time together. Meanwhile, Love and LaFleur have only won one postseason game over their first three seasons as a quarterback and play-caller duo. LaFleur can back his starter all he wants, but everyone knows when he says things that put Love over Rodgers, they are probably fabrications.
Steelers' Aaron Rodgers Missed Getting His Revenge On Green Bay In 2025
Rodgers played against the Packers for the first time since leaving the franchise during the 2025 season, and the game did not go well for the Steelers. The Packers won the contest and it was an embarrassing showing for the Black and Gold -- especially in the second half. There was definitely a part of Rodgers that wanted to win that game more than any other game as it would have been nice to outperform Love and take down his former head coach. That was likely the only chance Rodgers had to do that, unless the two franchises meet again in the Super Bowl.
The Steelers quarterback is always going to have his fun when speaking with the media, and he had to throw some jabs at his former head coach while talking to the radio guys from Wisconsin.
What do you think about Rodgers' comments on his former head coach? Let me know on X, @brogannoey!
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