Aaron Rodgers has praise for Mike McCarthy on 'Pat McAfee Show'
· Yahoo Sports
Free-agent quarterback Aaron Rodgers stopped by his favorite program, "The Pat McAfee Show," for a lengthy appearance Wednesday, March 4, a conversation that included a long discussion about his feelings for new Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike McCarthy.
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McCarthy, of course, was in charge of the Green Bay Packers when Rodgers ascended as one of the best quarterbacks in football, which included leading the Packers to a Super Bowl victory over the Steelers after the 2010 season.
Rodgers' status for 2026 remains uncertain, but the Steelers have left the door open for him to return to the Steelers and reunite with McCarthy.
"Mike's one of the great guys in the league," Rodgers said. "Just an absolutely exceptional human being with a huge heart. We had a lot of great years together, a lot of fun. He really cares about the players, but he also holds guys accountable and creates a lot of structure and details in the process.
"I loved my time with Mike over the years. It's like a big brother, where sometimes you love him, sometimes you're pissed at him, but deep down, there's so much love for Mike and appreciation for the time we spent together."
McCarthy was fired in 2018, then became the Dallas Cowboys coach from 2020 through 2024.
"In 2022, he was with Dallas and they came in and played a night game against us and we were going through some struggles," Rodgers said, referring to a late-afternoon game Nov. 13 at Lambeau Field. "Mike and I had talked, [and said] 'Let's spend some time together before the game away from the cameras.' Because we knew it was going to be a spectacle. ... 'Let's spend some time together where we're not with a boom mic over the top of us and a camera on us.'"
Rodgers said much of the negative impression around his relationship with McCarthy was "bull----" and he got a chance to enjoy a long conversation with McCarthy in a sewing room adjacent to the locker room.
"We met in there for an hour, just him and I, and had a really special time talking about the time we spent together and the appreciation we have for each other and the gratitude," Rodgers said. "That was a deeply meaningful moment for both of us, I think I can say."
Rodgers endorsed McCarthy's ability to lead a franchise even as one of the older coaches in the league at age 62, especially, in this case, because McCarthy is a Pittsburgh native.
"There's something to an old-school organization, which the Pittsburgh Steelers definitely are, just like the Green Bay Packers were, and bringing in a guy who not only brings accountability and a program that's proven to work at multiple places now. ...
"Mike bleeds Pittsburgh, PA. I think there's something special about that for a guy who's going to come home and lead a historic franchise. ... Who else would you rather have lead? A guy that literally bleeds black and gold and loves the city with all his heart. And this is like a dream job for him.
"I was telling him after he got hired, 'What an awesome thing. You're going to have coached three of the iconic franchises – Green Bay Packers, Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers. Are you kidding me? That's '60s, '70s and '80s dynasties. For a guy to try and come back and lead back to that greatness, I don't think you can do better at this time in this franchise's history than bringing in a guy like Mike McCarthy. So I'm really happy for him."
Rodgers offered no insight into his timeline to decide whether to return in 2026.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Aaron Rodgers has praise for Mike McCarthy on 'Pat McAfee Show'