Aaron Rodgers doesn’t exactly roll out the welcome mat for every offensive coordinator he meets. From the icy stretches with Mike McCarthy in Green Bay to the clunky fit with Nathaniel Hackett before the Achilles tear in New York, the four-time MVP, very clearly, has a track record. So when Pittsburgh traded for him this offseason and paired him with Arthur Smith? You knew things were about to get interesting.
Why? Because Arthur Smith isn’t some laid-back clipboard guy. His peculiar player usage has earned him some sideline scowls (hello, Kyle Pitts and Bijan Robinson). So what happens when you toss them into the same offensive room? Steelers GM Omar Khan weighed in on it, and the answer might surprise you.
When two very similar (read: peculiar) people work together, two things can happen. One, friction, clash, or compromise. Two? A deep playoff run. There’s nothing in between. Either everything clicks into place or nothing does. And according to Omar Khan, it’s working out pretty well so far. “Arthur and Aaron have a relationship. We wouldn’t have done it if we didn’t think it was going to be a really good one. And it hasn’t disappointed,” he said.
December 15, 2024, Philadelphia, Pa, USA: December 15, 2024: Arthur Smith during the Philadelphia Eagles vs Pittsburgh Steelers at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia PA. Brook Ward / Apparent Media Group Philadelphia USA – ZUMAa234 20241215_zsa_a234_128 Copyright: xAMGx
The Steelers GM seems genuinely confident that Rodgers and Arthur Smith are more aligned than people think. Why? Because Smith’s system actually plays to Rodgers’ wheelhouse: motion-heavy looks, play-action setups, and those deep sideline shots Rodgers used to carve defenses up with in Green Bay. Just take a look at the numbers. Between 2019 and 2022, Rodgers threw the second-most vertical passes in the league. And it wasn’t just volume; he graded out near the top on those throws, per PFF. So if Smith sticks to that DNA, it could be less “oil and water” and more “vintage Rodgers”
In his first year calling plays for the Steelers, Arthur Smith wasted no time tweaking the formula. Play-action was dialed up on 27.6% of dropbacks. A big jump from Pittsburgh’s usual bottom-tier usage in that area. That’s not a coincidence. It’s a deliberate nod to what’s worked best for Aaron Rodgers over the years. Rodgers has thrived in systems that lean into play-action, using it to freeze safeties and open up those classic sideline lasers he’s known for. So if Smith keeps leaning into that look, it’ll be almost tailor-made for Rodgers.
Still, not everyone’s buying the fit just yet. Arthur Smith caught plenty of heat in Atlanta, especially for how he underused Kyle Pitts, even though the tight end still managed a Pro Bowl nod. Add in Smith’s tendency toward conservative bootlegs and a lack of rollout creativity, and you’ve got red flags for anyone watching Rodgers try to bounce back from that Achilles tear. So things might be steady now, but down the line? It could change very quickly.
It’s imperative that Rodgers and Smith are on the same track, because Rodgers? He might be in for more than just one year!
Omar Khan leaves the door open for Aaron Rodgers
Aaron Rodgers’ comments during the offseason made it pretty clear. This would be a one-year deal. Most likely his final year in the Pros. The door may be virtually closed, but it isn’t latched just yet. At least for the Steelers. They’re taking a wait-and-see approach. “We have to see how the season goes, but absolutely. He’s a young 41… we’re obviously taking it year by year… but we’re obviously not closing the door on anything,” he said.
All of this sounds good on paper, but try to think about one quarterback in the history of this sport who pushed beyond 41 (not named Tom Brady, of course). Especially not when Rodgers has seen a consistent decline over the last few years. Next season at 42? That might be pushing it.
And these hopeful words? They don’t coincide with the Steelers’ vision for 2026. In fact, they go completely against it. They are likely going big in the 2026 NFL draft, predicted to have up to 12 selections in the top hundred. And according to Art Rooney II? They’re eyeing their next big quarterback in one of the next two drafts, preferably the next. They are clearly building towards the future, and extending Rodgers? A walking contradiction. Unless they just want him to mentor, which… well, refer to that bit earlier about peculiar people.
So, yes, Omar might’ve opened the door to an extension, but we all know this is most likely his first and last season with the Steelers. Maybe in the NFL. But regardless of what the future holds, we’re here, edging closer to the 2025 season, and the Steelers have added new weapons.
DK Metcalf gives Rodgers the kind of vertical threat he hasn’t had since prime Jordy Nelson, while Jonnu Smith (who thrived under Arthur Smith in Tennessee) adds a familiar safety valve over the middle. Add in a good start to the relationship with Arthur (for now), Rodgers is set to have one last go.
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