During his regularly scheduled appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show,” Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers got Pittsburgh buzzing in advance of his team’s game against the Steelers.
His overt praise for coach Mike Tomlin, the Steelers’ winning tradition and even “Pittsburgh Dad” had Steelers fans wondering if Rodgers may be interested in picking Pittsburgh as his preferred destination if he attempts to force a trade out of Green Bay following this season.
That discussion took off even more during the game when the network television camera caught Rodgers and Tomlin in some friendly non-verbal banter after a Tomlin timeout snuffed Rodgers’ attempt to catch the Steelers defense with too many men on the field.
Rodgers returned to McAfee’s show Tuesday in the wake of Green Bay’s 27-17 win and addressed all the speculation.
“I’m just speaking the truth,” Rodgers said. “If you ask me a question about Mike Tomlin, I’m going to tell you how I feel about Mike Tomlin. If you want to take that and run with it and say I’m angling for some sort of next team or something, I’m not. I’m just answering the question about my respect for Mike and what he has done in the league. And the same for when I talked about Ben (Roethlisberger).”
It was headline news in Pittsburgh that you were gonna be a Steeler after last week
"I just speak the truth.. I think Cincinnati is pretty safe this week cause they gotta young calf & don't need the old bull" ~@AaronRodgers12#PatMcAfeeShowLIVE pic.twitter.com/Y0LmYMPl9S
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) October 5, 2021
That said, McAfee’s co-host A.J. Hawk pressed Rodgers further about his affinity for Tomlin and the timeout exchange at Lambeau Field.
“I’m a big Mike Tomlin fan. I have been for a long time. I like the way he speaks about his team. I like the way he goes about his business. I like his confidence. I’ve heard nothing but good things from guys that have played there. I like Mike Tomlin,” Rodgers said.
"I'm a big Mike Tomlin fan & I have been for a long time.. I like the way that he speaks about his team & goes about his business" ~@AaronRodgers12 on the smirk off with Mike Tomlin on Sunday#PatMcAfeeShowLIVE pic.twitter.com/qT1cQvsmdj
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) October 5, 2021
In Pittsburgh, at his weekly press conference, Tomlin addressed the back and forth with Rodgers over the timeout as well.
“It’s chess not checkers,” Tomlin said. “If you’re a competitor, you love being in that environment, you love pitting your skills and talents and preparedness versus people like those guys, led by a guy like that guy. Particularly in his venue, because of the latitude it provides him in terms of getting in and out of things at the line of scrimmage and having the ability to thoughtfully change pace, whether speed it up or slow it down.”
As if this mutual admiration society needed any additional fawning, Pittsburgh Dad even chimed in with a personal recruitment video for Rodgers.
Pittsburgh would vote you Mayor right now if you wanted to be.. we have a message from a prominent Pittsburgher @Pittsburgh_Dad for you @AaronRodgers12#PatMcAfeeShowLIVE pic.twitter.com/iUUuoMC4mW
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) October 5, 2021
Well, if that doesn’t induce Rodgers to push his way into the Steel City, I don’t know what else could.
