Football, at its core, is about blending philosophies, and nowhere is that clearer than in Pittsburgh right now. Arthur Smith arrives with a reputation for leaning on the run. With Russell Wilson and Justin Fields under the center, his offense ranked fourth in rushing attempts last season. It’s a formula designed to wear defenses down, even though Pittsburgh wasn’t efficient in doing so last year.

But this year, the equation changes, because the man under the center is Aaron Rodgers. The 41-year-old comes fresh off a season where he threw more passes than nearly anyone else, finishing second in attempts league-wide. So at first glance, their styles seem like a mismatch: Smith is a run-heavy coach, Rodgers is a pass-heavy QB. Which makes you wonder: Will the Steelers‘ OC adapt his system to fit what Rodgers does best?

Emory Hunt is convinced that the Steelers’ OC can adjust for Rodgers heading into the 2025 season. “The question for me coming in is whether or not Aaron Rodgers buys into Arthur Smith’s system,” Hunt observed on CBS Sports HQ. “And if Arthur Smith’s system is kind of malleable to where, ‘Hey, this is what Aaron Rodgers does. Well, he’s a future ballot Hall of Famer. What do you want to run? I can adjust around what you want to do with based on what our talent is on this roster.'” Translation?

Hunt believes that the 41-year-old veteran is a Hall of Fame-level quarterback. So, it makes sense to let him have some say in how the offense runs. And if we’re not wrong, the last time Smith worked with a veteran QB, things didn’t work out well. Russell Wilson’s lone year in Pittsburgh wasn’t exactly smooth sailing with the OC. As per Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac reported, Smith has always leaned run-first, while Wilson’s more about airing it out and pushing the ball downfield.

In his report, Dulac explained that, “Wilson’s desire to attack with the pass and throw down the field clashed with Smith’s run-first mentality, causing philosophical friction between the two.” The poor relationship was visible during the Week 13 showdown against the Bengals last year. Dulac reported that Wilson changed plays at the line of scrimmage during the game. But Smith? Well, he didn’t like it.

Fast forward to now, and when Rodgers arrived in the Steel City, the big question was palpable: How will Smith adapt Rodgers’ play-style? But when asked, the OC straight-up downplayed the concern. “You’d love to be more balanced,” Smith said a couple of months ago. “You’re not obvious in how you want to attack this defense, what you think their strengths and weaknesses are. That’s the game that’s played every Sunday.”

Long story short: while Rodgers’ arrival in Pittsburgh did raise eyebrows, considering Arthur Smith’s run-first mentality, sure. But the way things are unfolding, and as Emory Hunt believes, we can expect the offensive coordinator to adjust his play-calling to fit Rodgers’ strengths. Meanwhile, Mike Tomlin still has to tackle a tough decision in the Steelers’ quarterback room as the regular season is almost here.

Mike Tomlin could adjust Aaron Rodgers’ quarterback room

Like many other NFL teams, the Steelers started the training camp with four quarterbacks. While Aaron Rodgers was confirmed as the QB1, Mason Rudolph, Skylar Thompson, and Will Howard were grinding to make their way through to the 53-man roster. But the outside noise suggested Mike Tomlin and his Crew could cut ties with one of the QBs. And somehow, Thompson seemed the odd man out—until now.

In the three exhibition games, Thompson managed to shock everyone with his electrifying performance. Take the preseason finale against the Panthers, for instance. The quarterback completed 11 of 13 passes for 152 yards and one touchdown, and Tomlin noticed. “He’s got playing experience,” the HC said. “This guy started games in Miami. I think that experience shows — and we’re talking regular-season games.”

And it wasn’t just about the preseason finale either. In the opener against the Jaguars, Thompson lit it up—20-of-28 for 233 yards and three touchdowns. Then came Week 2 against the Bucs, a little bump in the road, sure. But he still managed to complete 10 of 15 for 113 yards, no scores, and an interception. Safe to say the past three preseason games have forced Tomlin to make a tough decision now. Why?

Well, many suggested that the Steelers would cut ties with Thompson before the regular season opener. Now that he lit it up in the preseason, the 28-year-old is expected to grab a spot on the 53-man roster. Will he? Won’t he? That’s tough to tell for now.