Mike McCarthy knows Aaron Rodgers well. He coached him for 13 seasons with the Green Bay Packers from 2006 to 2018, winning a Super Bowl together and watching him win two MVPs.
Now 62, McCarthy isn’t coaching at the moment. However, he still watches Rodgers from afar and keeps an eye on his old quarterback.
During his appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” this week, McCarthy said he’s not surprised by Rodgers’ success with the Pittsburgh Steelers this season.
“This is why I was excited for him to end up in Pittsburgh. I think he just was a tremendous fit all the way around,” McCarthy said. “You’re seeing a big part of this guy’s greatness, his game management…that’s the way he’s played for well over a decade.”
McCarthy said he thinks Rodgers was a good fit for the Steelers because of their elite defense, which takes some of the pressure off Rodgers. He can be more of a game manager without needing to be a gunslinger who saves the day, which is a better fit for his skills at this stage of his career.
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Pittsburgh’s also a good fit for Rodgers in that it has cold weather, passionate fans and a loud atmosphere for home games, all of which Rodgers thrives off.
With the Steelers coming off back-to-back wins, McCarthy has been impressed by their recent performance.
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“They do really look good. I’ve really liked the way they’ve played the last two weeks,” McCarthy added.
With Rodgers heating up and the defense stepping up, everything’s coming together at the perfect time for Pittsburgh.
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Featured image via Peter Casey/Imagn Images