Steelers' Arthur Smith Given Strong Advice If Aaron Rodgers Signs In Pittsburgh: "Adapt Or Die"

The Pittsburgh Steelers are closing in on April, which is a huge month in every league year because of the NFL Draft. Head Coach Mike Tomlin's group, however, is in a much different position than most franchises. There isn't a solidified starting signal-caller in the Steel City, as Aaron Rodgers takes his sweet time making a decision on his future. Fans are ready for the saga to be over so that the focus can be purely football moving forward. Whoever plays quarterback will have to have a legitimately strong working relationship with Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith.

It was reported after the 2024 campaign that Smith and Russell Wilson had a fairly rocky relationship. This could be one of the reasons why the team hasn't extended an offer to the veteran quarterback for the 2025 season. At 41 years of age, Rodgers is not going to be open to much coaching, and he could have a completely different idea of how he wants to run the offense versus Smith. This has raised a little bit of concern.

In a mailbag on X, team insider for The Pat McAfee Show, Mark Kaboly, answered questions from fans about all things Steelers. Someone brought up an interesting question about if the reporter believes that Rodgers and Smith will mesh well. It's safe to say that Kaboly believes that the future Hall of Fame quarterback could have final say.

"Not really. Most of what Rodgers does isn’t what Smith wants to do," Kaboly wrote. "However, I still believe he is a good enough offensive coordinator to adapt to whatever is needed. Honestly, it’s not like he would have a choice. Adapt or die."

This statement from Kaboly implies that the play-caller on offense is going to need to be on the same page as Rodgers. Adapting would be imperative, especially when trying to run a successful offense. In the scenario from Kaboly, he basically means that if Smith can't find a way to get along with Rodgers, then Tomlin will end up finding someone who can.

The Steelers have not had a very consistent offense for years. Bringing in someone like Rodgers, despite his age, could be extremely beneficial, but only if he buys into the system that is in place. It's not easy to overhaul an offensive coordinator's philosophies, particularly in one offseason. It's possible that the meeting between Rodgers and Smith on Friday was about understanding each other's ideas for the unit.

It will be critical for both individuals to not just have respect for one another, but also give and take a little bit. Rodgers played some good football down the stretch in 2024 and has an entire offseason to fully get his Achilles back to where it should be. That is not an easy injury to come back from, but if he gives Pittsburgh a season (or two) of the kind of football he played for the New York Jets in December, the offense could be much better than it has been in recent years.

Steelers Can't Afford To Get The Offense Wrong In 2025

The fan base in Pittsburgh has been becoming increasingly more upset about an offense that can't find its footing on a consistent basis. If a future Hall of Famer in Rodgers is paired with a respected play-caller in Smith and the unit still falters, there are going to need to be some tough conversations in the Steel City. Tomlin has apparently been one of the driving forces behind the Rodgers pursuit, so he better hope that a deal gets done and the results in 2025 are positive.

Do you think that Rodgers is the right fit for a Steelers offense led by Smith? Let us know in the comments below!

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