At the age of 41, Aaron Rodgers signed a one-year deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers. And that is with $10 million guaranteed and up to $19.5 million maximum. Well, everyone expected the announcement to be huge. However, after days of no mentions, celebrations, or even a callout for Rodgers on his arrival, it became clear that the team did not want Rodgers as their No. 1 QB. Now that is quite a controversy, especially for a veteran of the game.

And the controversies have always found their way to Rodgers. Even as his career stats remain historic: over 60,000 passing yards, 503 TDs, four MVPs, and a Super Bowl win. Rodgers’s ideologies and claims outside the football field have often led him to land in criticism and controversy. From propagating conspiracy theories like anti-Bluetooth claims, vaccine skepticism, and linking the Ellen show set to Epstein’s temple, all include his name.

Zaire Franklin, Indianapolis Colts‘ LB, talked about Rodgers in a similar tone. As he sat down with the NFL journalist, Kay Adams, Franklin was cerebral, self-aware, and respectful. He was drawing a clear boundary, even as the spotlight lingered on legendary quarterbacks. Adams asked him about the Pittsburgh Pirates cap he was wearing. Also, if it was a message for Rodgers. Franklin replied, “I don’t want no Aaron Rodgers trouble. Like, tell him to keep me out of that. You know, I don’t want no conspiracies. God bless that man.” He didn’t stop there.

Furthermore,

Kay also asked Franklin about Rodgers’s activity in recent years. To which the Colts LB added, “He’s still playing, you know. Aaron Rodgers is one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play a game, period. You know, there’s really not much else to say other than that. Well, I don’t know him personally, but I know he’s got, you know, his different things that he’s got going on off the field and stuff. You know it’s hard not to see it. Um, you know, I’m glad to see him continue to go. I look forward to playing against him, but yeah, I don’t want much to do with my man, man! He can stay over. He got Joe Rogan and all them, I’m going to stick with Joe Button, so don’t worry about it.” His words reflect both reverence and realism.

He acknowledged Rodgers’s storied legacy while consciously steering clear of the drama that seems to follow the veteran QB, from high-profile conspiracies to podcast-fueled feuds. That one zinger,

“he got Joe Rogan…I’m going to stick with Joe Button,” served as both a tongue-in-cheek jab at Rodgers’ penchant for high-profile media exposure and a declaration of Franklin’s desire to keep things grounded and drama-free.

But even through all of the comments and controversies, Rodgers is trying his best to make himself at home in Pittsburgh. And what’s a better way to bond than hitting a few strokes of the Golf ball from one end to the other? If you ask Rodgers, you may hear his silence speak only. And the case is the same with his new teammates, as the NFL veteran was spotted at another golf outing right after his signing with the Steelers.

Aaron Rodgers tees off with new Steelers teammates

At the Sewickley Heights Golf Club, Steelers’ Cam Heyward glided onto his ‘Irons for Impact’ charity golf outing, and this time, he wasn’t alone. Joining him were the team’s newest offensive weapons: veteran Aaron Rodgers and dynamic receiver DK Metcalf. The moment underlined a swift shift in Pittsburgh’s quarterback narrative as this instance made it clear that Rodgers is here to stay and learn his ways around the team. 

NFL journalist Mark Kaboly, who took to his X and wrote, “Steelers’ newest offensive weapons, Aaron Rodgers and DK Metcalf, are at Cam Heyward’s ‘Irons for Impact announced the outing‘ Golf Outing at Sewickley Heights Golf Club today. That didn’t take long.” Kaboly’s observation landed like a punch that Rodgers is not easing into retirement. Instead, he’s busily stepping into his new role, quickly integrating into Steelers’ culture both on and off the field.

His outing with Metcalf and Heyward wasn’t about him diving into his beloved hobby of golfing. Indeed, it was about what it can yield for him outside of the football field. That too, in a new team, where even if the legend has nothing to prove, he has a whole squad to lead. Rodgers’s presence at a team charity event signals immediate buy‑in, not just attendance. He’s embracing the local community and locker room culture.

In just one outing, and for one golf swing, Aaron Rodgers has already begun crafting his Pittsburgh story. From signing day to charity green, he’s saying loud and clear: this chapter in his career isn’t a slowdown for him. It’s yet another full-throttle embrace. The NFL legend has a lot of weight on his shoulders. On one hand, he has to prove that he’s still got it. And on the other he has to convince the Steelers to lead them and make them championship material in the process. Will Aaron Rodgers be able to show off his legendary skills for the Steelers? That’s something only time and Rodgers can reveal. Until then, we can hope for his best.