The transition from college football to pro football isn’t always a smooth process. For a rookie linebacker, getting schooled by a future Hall of Fame quarterback is part of the job. For former Ohio State LB Jack Sawyer, getting picked on by Aaron Rodgers was the best thing that could have happened to his career.

Despite it being rare for rookies to be thrown into the fire, Sawyer did it, giving major credit to Aaron Rodgers. The Steelers’ unrestricted free agent helped the ex-OSU star develop, especially when it came to his pass coverage. It’s a part of the game that Sawyer barely touched at Ohio State. But under Rodgers’ guidance, the learning curve shortened fast, and Sawyer recalled it during his Friday appearance on The Christian Kuntz Podcast.

“I drop now more than I did in college,” said Sawyer. “In practice, there would be a couple of times when I’m dropping, and Aaron would just be staring right at me. He’d be looking right at me, like smiling, and he’ll just throw it and go, ‘Stop looking at my f—ing eyes, rook; it’s not gonna help you.'”

Despite all the help from the veteran QB, the ex-Ohio State star didn’t burst onto the scene right away in Pittsburgh this past season. But when the season neared its end, he had carved out a real role on defense, finishing with 34 tackles and two interceptions. And all credit goes to Rodgers.

“I talked to him about it, and he’d explain from his perspective, ‘Hey, if the end’s dropping here, I know what coverage you’re in, so I don’t even really need to look at where guys are at,'” Sawyer further stated. “And he talks about where the soft spots are in certain zone coverages, so you can break on it faster and play it better. He’s been awesome with all of us young guys, explaining stuff.”

In this scenario, Rodgers’ understanding of the game and his ability to guide rookies stood out, and it was backed up by his 2025 numbers–3,322 passing yards and 24 TDs in 16 games. Looking back at his first NFL season, Sawyer admitted that his learning process is ongoing.

Former Ohio State LB speaks out about his rookie season

An underwhelming 2025 campaign hasn’t deterred Jack Sawyer. He took the positives from his performances and took pride in the fact that the Steelers made it all the way to the playoffs, embracing the grind in the NFL.

“Once you get in the swing of it, man, I love ball so much,” said the former Ohio State QB. “I think, for me, it’s fun when you’re playing games and constantly game planning. And you got a game on Sunday, Monday, getting competitive and obviously making the playoffs was great.”

Finishing the 2025 season with a strip sack, his biggest moment came in the Wild Card round when Sawyer came off the edge and stripped Texans QB C.J. Stroud. One snap later, he sniffed out a flea-flicker and shut it down before it could turn into six.

The Ohio State alum was honest in his self-evaluation, saying, “I give myself like a B-minus, C-plus,” he said. “I’ve got a lot of room to grow.”

But a new era is starting with new head coach Mike McCarthy, and Sawyer is excited about that.

” I’m excited. Coach McCarthy seems like a good dude,” said the Ohio State LB.

With a new coaching staff and a full year of NFL experience under his belt, Jack Sawyer is poised to build on his B-minus rookie campaign and prove that Rodgers’ tough lessons actually worked. What do you think? Drop your comments below.