The Pittsburgh Steelers were going through a major transition period after waving goodbye to one of the most successful coaches in the NFL, Mike Tomlin. Tomlin had served as the Steelers’ head coach for 19 years before bidding adieu to the franchise this offseason. After searching for a replacement who could come close to filling Tomlin’s shoes, they hired Mike McCarthy, who previously worked with their current star quarterback, Aaron Rodgers.

McCarthy previously coached the Green Bay Packers from 2006 to 2018, spending 13 polarizing years alongside Rodgers. Although the long-standing grudge between the two men had supposedly settled down, one prominent NFL analyst firmly believes otherwise.

“Rodgers had a very high level of respect for Mike Tomlin,” Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk wrote on September 11. “Rodgers has a much lower level of respect for Mike McCarthy. Sufficiently low that Rodgers had no qualms about giving McCarthy one more thing to worry about when his sole focus should be to start the post-Tomlin era at 1-0, not 0-1.”

Entering the 22nd and final season of his illustrious career, the 42-year-old quarterback immediately tested his new coach’s patience. Rodgers went on The Pat McAfee Show in early August and took a completely unprompted dig at Dr. Anthony Fauci. McCarthy refused to take the bait regarding the controversial comments, stating that “these are grown men” and he simply wants to “keep the focus on winning.” The coach even joked about the situation during his own appearance on the same show, claiming he thought everyone was on the same team. However, Rodgers didn’t stop there, recently detailing the darkest days of their previous partnership on another prominent podcast.

But it did not just end there. During a recent episode of the Not Just Football with Cam Heyward podcast, Rodgers detailed how his relationship with McCarthy heavily deteriorated during their final two years in Green Bay. The quarterback explained how the two would frequently argue before Rodgers would eventually initiate a conversation to “hug it out” and exchange apologies. Rodgers claimed those tense moments eventually forged a deep love and mutual respect at this late stage of their careers.

While the quarterback hasn’t spoken negatively about his coach this summer, Florio asserts that these constant podcast comments serve as an intentional and unnecessary distraction.

Florio firmly believes these media tours force McCarthy to constantly answer non-football questions when his sole focus should be starting the post-Tomlin era at 1-0. Despite the insider’s pessimistic analysis regarding their drifting relationship, both men have actively tried to control the narrative.

The four-time MVP has repeatedly told the local media that he holds absolutely no grudge against his former coach. In fact, Rodgers recently admitted that McCarthy’s arrival actually prevented him from retiring.

Aaron Rodgers holds no grudge against Mike McCarthy and is excited to be with him once again

While earlier reports and Florio’s analysis may point in the other direction, the 10-time Pro Bowler has repeatedly said he has been glad to be able to work with McCarthy, especially in his last season.

While the four-time MVP was initially thinking of not signing another deal with the Steelers, possibly hanging up his boots, he said he changed his decision as soon as he heard that the franchise hired McCarthy, and thought of the return as a “full circle” moment for him and for McCarthy.

“Mike’s a good play caller,” Rodgers said after practice on Wednesday. “We’ve got a good relationship, quarterback to play caller. There’s a lot of trust going both ways, and I’m excited about what it’s gonna feel like to hear his voice — very Pittsburghese voice — in my helmet again.”

Rodgers joined the Steelers as an unrestricted free agent in 2025, signing another $22.5 million one-year deal this May. Retaining Rodgers was crucial for the Steelers, who have been looking for a quarterback ever since Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement in 2021. They brought in Justin Fields via a trade from the Chicago Bears, giving up a conditional 2025 sixth-round draft pick in March 2024 to solve the problem, while also drafting Penn State quarterback Drew Allar in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft.

But none of them have shown the abilities that Rodgers still possesses at the age of 42. While Rodgers isn’t as sharp as he used to be, he could still play a vital role in giving a head start to McCarthy’s Steelers, with the team playing against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday at Acrisure Stadium.