The Pittsburgh Steelers found a way to scrape into the playoffs last season after going 10-7 and taking home their first AFC North title in five years. Part of the reason why they were able to break through was their experience. One of the late-season moves that Steelers GM Omar Khan made to bring in more experience on offense was the signing of former Pro Bowl wide receiver Adam Thielen.
While he only played in five games for the team, he started three of them and reeled in 11 passes. The Minnesota native provided the help and experience that former Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin was looking for. While appearing on Good Morning Football on Monday, Thielen chatted about his time playing with Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Adam Thielen Shares Opinion of Pittsburgh Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers
GettyAdam Thielen retired following the 2025 season.
Here is what Thielen had to say about his time playing with Rodgers in the Steel City at the end of his career:
“Being around Aaron, I’ve known him for a long time…To see him in the building and in practice, and his communication, and the way that he does things, and his detail, it really showed me why he’s been so great for so long, right?… These guys are great and separate themselves because of their process. (Rodgers) treated every single practice like it was the Super Bowl. I mean that. It was unbelievable to see firsthand just how hard he practiced and what it meant to him.”
You don’t play 22 NFL seasons without being great in your preparation and process. Rodgers, a future first-ballot Hall of Fame quarterback and one of the league’s all-time greats, has always been great at translating his preparation to the playing field. After all, the Super Bowl MVP is the league’s all-time career passer rating leader (102.2). The four-time MVP is set to join Thielen in retirement after this upcoming season.
Steelers Look to Improve Upon 2025
GettyQB Aaron Rodgers threw 24 touchdowns for the Steelers in 2025.
While the 2025 season wasn’t an elite one for the Steelers, they did enough to get into the dance. In fact, if Rodgers isn’t the starting quarterback, who knows if Pittsburgh wins the AFC North? The Green Bay legend recorded 25 total touchdowns and just eight interceptions. It was far from his elite 2011 self, but Rodgers was very valuable. He was careful with the football and came up clutch when his team absolutely needed him. In the team’s do-or-die Week 18 game against the Baltimore Ravens, Rodgers threw for nearly 300 yards and a touchdown in a winning effort.
Heading into the 2026 season with his longtime head coach, Mike McCarthy, at the helm, Pittsburgh could pose a true threat in the AFC this season. Especially with the offseason additions of Michael Pittman Jr. and Rico Dowdle, expect a better offensive output from the team. Again, this will be Rodgers’ final NFL season. It would not be a surprise to see him go out with one more magical chapter at the end of a storybook career.
Former Pro Bowl WR Reveals Strong Opinion of Steelers’ Aaron Rodgers