"Steepest learning curve lies for him" - Aaron Rodgers facing new reality with Steelers OC Arthur Smith, says insider

NFL insider Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated believes Aaron Rodgers is off to a good start with the Pittsburgh Steelers, but there is a new reality he is facing.

Rodgers is dealing with another new offensive coordinator in Arthur Smith, and the language he uses is a bit different. With that, Breer believes there could be a bit of a learning curve for the future Hall of Fame quarterback.

"Rodgers has smoothly assimilated into the Steeler culture," Breer wrote. "Different than with the Jets, he isn’t being asked to take a group of young players to another level. He’s jumping on a moving train, with the team’s veteran leadership very much already in place.

"He and Arthur Smith got off to a good start, too, getting him up to speed on the offense’s nomenclature," Breer added. "Because the two share some background—Rodgers had ex-Smith staffmates Matt LaFleur and Todd Downing as play-callers—most of the concepts Rodgers was seeing last week were familiar. But the language has changed enough to where that’s probably where the steepest learning curve lies for him."

Although Breer says the Steelers' playcalling language is a bit different, the insider does think Rodgers will be able to learn it quickly and have success in Pittsburgh's offense.

Rodgers has been in the NFL since 2005 and has had several different offensive coordinators throughout his career, so he is familiar with having to learn new language and play calls.

Aaron Rodgers is learning Steelers' offense

Aaron Rodgers signed a one-year deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers to be their starting quarterback in 2025.

Rodgers is trying to learn the new language and system, and he used his time at OTAs to learn the system.

"A lot of this stuff is stuff I’ve done before, but there’s new terms and new types of motion words and different stuff,” Rodgers said, via Yahoo. “I’m learning. I’m going to go through the individual stuff. I told Mike, if he wants me to practice, I’ll practice, but I think he said he just wants me to stick to the individual [work] until I’ve got the offense down.”

Rodgers will have the summer to continue to learn the playbook before training camp and preseason games take place in August and September.

Rodgers and the Steelers open their 2025 NFL season on Sept. 7 on the road against the New York Jets.