After months of speculation and rumors, Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers finally managed to agree to a $13.65 million deal that will see the 41-year-old quarterback start for at least one more season in the NFL. However, that final ride could prove to be a problematic one, says the franchise’s former QB1, Ben Roethlisberger.
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The team’s offensive coordinator, Arthur Smith, has a well-documented history of making questionable decisions and play calls. In Roethlisberger’s opinion, this will cause friction with the team’s new quarterback.
Seeing that Rodgers infamously opted to throw the ball out of bounds anytime Matt LaFleur called a play that he didn’t like at Green Bay, it would be better for the Steelers to get the two of them on the same page as soon as possible.
“There’s going to be times, as a coordinator, you’re going to call a play, and the quarterback does not like that play. The more you get to know each other, the more you’re like, ‘Okay, I’m going to stay away from that call because I know he doesn’t like it’,” said Roethlisberger.
“I don’t know how well they know each other, but there’s got to be some sort of relationship… To me, that’s going to be the X-factor,” Ben explained.
Believing that “there are going to be frustrations”, Roethlisberger insisted that having some semblance of rapport will go a long way in helping to resolve in-game issues. Should they fail to do so, then their season will likely prove to be a lost cause.
“There were plenty of times where something would happen and I made the call, ‘timeout’… And you’re mad, I’m mad, come to the sidelines and get in this little bicker. But, because of the relationship, you’re able to put it to bed really quick,” elaborated Ben.
“There’s going to be a moment in this season where Arthur Smith calls a play… Aaron’s going to call [a] timeout, unsnap his little one buckle, and he’s going to be really mad… How fast can that get put to bed?” he added.
According to a recent report by insider Albert Breer, the duo of Smith and Rodgers seems to have already taken their first steps towards building their relationship.
“Rodgers arrived Saturday morning to sign it, and from there he and Smith immediately dove in on the playbook, things that the Steelers already built in anticipation of his signing and some historical elements of Smith’s scheme,” wrote Breer on SI.com.
While Smith’s play calling and preferences in personnel with the Atlanta Falcons were questionable enough to see him lose his head coaching job, he seems to have found a home as a coordinator in Pittsburgh. Now that he’s one rung lower on the totem pole of command, Smith appears to be more competent than his time in Atlanta may suggest.
While the gameday chemistry between the two remains to be seen, Breer’s report certainly bodes well for the hopes of Roethlisberger. Nevertheless, both men will have to be at their absolute best should they hope to bring about Pittsburgh’s first playoff win since 2016.
