Aaron Rodgers Media Availability (Spet. 10) | Pittsburgh Steelers

Aaron Rodgers Media Availability (Spet. 10) | Pittsburgh Steelers

What did you like uh from the offense and then anything specific going forward in terms of detail or anything? Uh we scored in the first drive. That was good. We scored a two-minute end of the first half. Scored in the two-minute end of the second half. Although there wasn’t a penalty called on the throw to uh Calvin. It would have probably uh put the game away for a shorter field goal. I thought we were uh you know decent and situational on the first drive and it had too many third and longs. whether it was working with DK in training camp or what you knew of his opponent from previous stops. How quickly did you become aware of how good he could be after the catch run after the catch and how beneficial were they for you guys against the Jets? Yeah, I mean I think he had two of the bigger plays in the game. You know, I think three of the most impactful plays of the game were probably in no particular order. Kenny G’s fumble that he forced uh the 15 yard penalty on KJ’s run and uh you know probably DK’s run after the catch on third and 10 to start the game after the pass to Pat to get us on third and 10 as well for the conversion. Um you know that was important drive to get started the right way and I thought DK played how he plays in practice. you know, the best players can make the practice like a game environment, so the game is not too big for him. I thought he had a nice game. Kind of along those lines, you know, you were talking after the game about DK sending you the text message with some of his thoughts about the Jets. What else have you learned just about the way DK prepares, the way that he practices, it helps him on game days? He’s about the right stuff. He cares about it. cares about it enough to watch the film and to put in the time and take notes and ask questions and come over and sit next to me during the week at various times to try and get on the same page. So, I love it. You know, that’s unfortunately not the standard around the league that I’ve been accustomed to. Now, it was a lot of times in uh in Green Bay because, you know, those guys kind of saw what it was like with Jordy Nelson and and then Randle Cobb and James Jones and Dvonte got to watch that and he was the next guy in uh in line. So there’s a way of going about it, but when you’re when you’re lead dog in a room, he’s also a great guy and prepares the right way. It makes it easy for the rest of the room to just follow his lead. Now that you’ve gone back through the the game, what did you see in the past pro? What areas maybe needed to shore up some? Yeah, I mean, I don’t think I was moving that well. So, I think I ran kind of into at least one or two sacks. So, I got to do a better job of uh using my legs. You know, I might be old, but I still feel like I can move around pretty good. and I wasn’t moving uh the way I usually like to move. So, I thought the protection was uh was good for the most most of the game. Uh there’s a couple fundamental things to clean up, but Pat’s, you know, take care of those guys and I just got to get the ball out. What do you think was you weren’t moving around the same? Why do you think you weren’t moving around the same? Was it just first game action or he was behind? Uh I was a little tight. Little tight. Uh back was a little tight. Broadick said you gave him a lot of input, a lot of communication that that he really appreciated. Um, do you have a a playbook for handling a young guy in a situation like that? Uh, no. Just like to talk to him directly and uh I really I really like Brad. I’ve got to know him uh uh during training camp and I like what he’s about. I like his attitude. He’s a genuinely uh positive guy and uh I got a lot of confidence in him watching my back. Talk about Calvin Austin speed and like ability to hit hit on the long ball for getting what does he do that makes him a versatile weapon for you to use. You hit him short, intermediate and deep on on Sunday. I got to get him more opportunities. You had a had a chance probably to throw to him down the middle on third and 10 with about six minutes left in the game and uh just got to trust it. Let it let it go. Got to get him involved more. Got to get more targets for DK. Um, I thought we got a lot of great production out of our out of our new guys. You know, I think you look at some of the guys we brought in. They all played really physically tough, DK, uh, Janu and Jaylen especially. Um, but I just got to give those guys more opportunities. What excites you about getting to play in front of these homes this Sunday? Uh, yeah. Yeah, I mean, I’ve been a part of uh let’s see, I missed the game in 13. Uh was it 13? I was hurt. No, 17 I was hurt. So, what in 2009 we played here and 17? 17 I was hurt. 2009, you know, it was a good back and forth game. Uh I feel like these fans are a lot like the Green Bay fans. Now, Green Bay is having some angst around how many people are selling their tickets. So, hopefully uh there’s not that much of that that goes on, but I would say the thing I can say that I do know about Steeler fans is in the fourth quarter in crunch time when they had the ball at Metife, it was loud and that’s that was our fans. So, uh, you know what kind of organization it is. Usually organizations like this in Green Bay, uh, their fan base has traveled really well and that was really impressive to see. Aaron, how did you feel after the game and how, uh, how did you focus your recovery efforts as your back to what you need to do every Yeah, I mean, I felt pretty good. I didn’t take too many uh big shots, but you know, I just I wasn’t moving as well as I wanted to. So, I made sure I got in cold tub and got massaged Monday, Tuesday, which is pretty standard. You know, every time you go to a new city, you got to either bring somebody with you or find somebody who can work on you that you trust. So, I figured that whole process out and uh you know, we got 16 plus more of these. So, I’m going to get in that rhythm. With four touchdowns last week, you’re now one away from tying Brett Favre’s touchdown passing record too from breaking it. Does that record have any significance to you or what does it mean if you’re able to to pass that this week? Yeah, I mean it’s just a longevity uh achievement. Um a lot of guys I’ve thrown touchdown passes to uh from a number of teams now. Uh so a lot of guys are a part of that. You know, some of them, I mean, some touchdowns you make exceptional plays. Some the scheme is so good, like the one to Jaylen in the game. All I got to do is not screw it up. And then sometimes you throw a short one to a guy and he goes 60 and it goes in the column is the same. So, there’s been a lot of guys involved in that, including the guys blocking, the guys calling the plays. Every now and then I made some special throws uh that led to touchdowns, but um I’ve been playing a long time and uh it’s a longevity thing that you know I’m proud of, but not a big deal. One of the guys involved in that is Rubel Martin. He’s one of just six guys to catch touchdown passes from you and Brett. Do you remember the touchdown that you threw him in 2008 against the Saints? I do. It was a nothing touchdown because we were down like three scores at least at the time. We’re down by 24 at the time. Um, so I love Ru though. R was uh my guy on the on the look team for for three years and I finally got an opportunity and then he came back and coached with us for a couple years. But uh yeah, I love one of my all-time favorite teammates Martin. How did that relationship work with Arthur? How do you guys think? Yeah, I think it was good. I mean, I thought he called a really good game. Like I said, you know, sometimes you make great throws for touchdowns. Sometimes you just got to not screw it up. And we had a couple that were, you know, just don’t screw it up. Uh the scheme was so good and the execution was great. Um but I thought we got into a good rhythm. The best part is that we spent a lot of time together. A lot of time on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, and Thursday, and then Friday, I get a little break from them usually uh in the afternoon. But, uh, we spent a lot of time talking about the game and and what he likes and what I like and, uh, maybe what he’s thinking about getting to early on or later situational. So, it’s a it’s a good relationship. Guys, two more. Two more. You connected for some big third down conversions to your question. I can’t hear anything over there. You guys for some third down conversions to your tight end. How do you also interact with them or use them as offsetting decoys to set up other opportunities for other guys considering their versatility, size, and skills as well? Yeah, I mean, they’re never going to be really decoys. Um I mean, Pat’s right next to me over there. Uh Jono’s down the end, Darnell’s over here, and uh Connor’s back behind us. But we’re always talking about things on the field. And uh they’re a smart group. They’re a diverse group as far as their abilities and what they bring to the table. So they’re never going to be decoys. We’re trying to get them the football and that’s why we’ve, you know, we were in 12 so much on on Sunday. Last one here. As far as looking at Seattle, it’s just one game, but a lot of new, a lot of different week one with the Jets last week. At least you have 60 minutes of tape to look at from Seattle. What stands out about the Seahawks? Uh, you know, I think they’re good on all the levels. We played them last year when I was with the Jets. Um, they got some game records uh up front. Uh, Leonard is, you know, he’s he’s incredible player. They traded for for Ernest and he’s solidified the me in the middle. They drafted some good players in the back end. Uh, you know, obviously Spoon is is a guy that kind of can play inside and outside at a really high level. Tariq’s been playing for a while now at a high level. They got good ball skills. Josh comes in as a good player. Uh, you know, what a great namesake on the back end, Kobe. Um, and he’s a ball hawk. And then, uh, Jay Love, the other safety. you know, they’re all real talent and guys on the back end, but the scheme that that coach McDonald runs over there is is uh kind of the Baltimore system. Obviously, he’s put his own tweaks on it, but um you have to be ready for a lot of different things, including the pressure and coverage variation and u you know, lining up in man and playing zone behind it and and holding shell and coming out of the shell at different times. So, they throw a lot of things at you from a pressure standpoint, from a cover standpoint, from a drop on defensive lineman standpoint that uh we’re going to have to be ready

Aaron Rodgers spoke to the media on Wednesday, September 10

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