Aaron Rodgers The Substitute Teacher
August 15th, 2025
Todd Bowles likes Bucs facing a Hall of Fame QB in the summer.
So the Bucs faced drama queen and Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers today. Bucs coach Todd Bowles said that’s a good thing.
Rodgers won’t play in Saturday’s preseason game ahe isn’t the quarterback he once was when he led the Packers to the 2010 Super Bowl title. Shoot, he’s not the same quarterback he was when the Bucs beat the Packers in the 2020 NFC title game.
Some believe Rodgers is washed. That may or may not be true. Joe did see a driven Rodgers yesterday, barking at teammates apparently running routes improperly, and having passionate words with referees.
What Bowles mentioned yesterday after the joint practice with the Steelers at the Crib That Antonio Brown Built is Rodgers is still a savvy quarterback and those smarts tested the Bucs defense.
“It teaches you discipline because he’s a very good hard-count guy,” Bowles said of facing Rodgers in a joint practice. “He can see the field better than anybody, so if anybody’s tipping a blitz or tipping a coverage any way, he’s going to find it. So it teaches us a lot of discipline.”
Better to learn from Rodgers in August then to learn from Michael Penix in September. If Rodgers really can teach the Bucs discipline, then the six-day trip to Pittsburgh will have been a good investment.
August 15th, 2025 at 6:56 am
In my book, Aaron Rodgers may not he the greatest to play, but he’s at least earned some respect. All the man wants is another ring before he retires.
He won’t get it.
I feel for him. Late fareer injuries cost him. It’s his choice as to when he retires. If he somehow does make it to a Superbowl, I suspect the refs will play favorites.
August 15th, 2025 at 7:04 am
Great report Joe. Rodgers is certainly the king of hard counts and I hope Grizz and Baker learned from Rodgers.
August 15th, 2025 at 8:17 am
REDDICK is dropping in coverage on this play lol
GO BUCS!!!!
August 15th, 2025 at 8:34 am
^^^
Somebody has to take away those checkdown options lol
August 15th, 2025 at 8:58 am
The fact that AR waited so long to sign makes me think he was looking for one last payday. The Steelers aren’t going to even win their division and vegas has them at 46% to even make the playoffs. I don’t always agree with Joe’s monikers but this “drama queen” is spot on!!
August 15th, 2025 at 10:52 am
@ Joe
In your opinion – why is AR considered a “drama Queen”?
He has never been arrested.
Has never beat up his girlfriend.
Has never nearly killed a family of four due to street racing his car.
I have never heard an ex-team-mate of AR say anything negative about the dude.
Nor have I heard any coaches or GMs say anything negative about him.
Is it because he is a regular on the Pat McAfee show?
Is it the Ayahuasca retreats?
Just curious why you feel this way…
August 15th, 2025 at 11:36 am
When the defense can make Cooper Rush look like Joe Montana and never force a rookie QB to punt in a home playoff game, it’s comforting to know the Bucs players aren’t tipping the assignments they don’t understand.
August 15th, 2025 at 11:41 am
Has Mike Tomlin gone senile? AR is a H(as)B(een). Only skill he has left is (supposedly) great hard counts. At least, he helped the Pack win a SB a few lightyears ago. And Antonio Brown……….no comment.
August 15th, 2025 at 12:32 pm
Looking back, I wish AB would have gotten more help through the years. Maybe they tried and he refused. We really don’t know. He had three coaches: Tomlin, Gruden, and Arians. I am betting they all tried to help him. We know TB helped him, and even moved AB into his house. We also know Arians had it with him.
AR has had drama at the Packers and at the Jets. The Jets, he didn’t show up for the mandatory trainings because he took a trip. Substitute teachers show up and for a lot less pay.
August 15th, 2025 at 12:55 pm
I lost respect for Rodgers when he said ahyowasca was a big reason why he won the MVP title. He then gained some respect in my book when he made a principled stand against the jibbity jab. So he’s back to where he started with me as a drama queen with a cannon of an arm.
August 15th, 2025 at 1:05 pm
Rodgers was still top 10 in passing in 2024 with a horrible Jets running game, took just as many sacks as Mayfield and was able to play every game without injury. His numbers were pretty close to Mayfield’s 2023 numbers with that same piss pour rushing attack. Everyone was Ohhing ans Ahhing about his numbers and how he was having one of his career best years. Rodgers gets tagged as Washed because he has the same production as a QB 12 years his Junior? That’s ridiculous.
Every year Rodgers threw for less than 4000 yards and 28 TD’s or less he followed it up with 40+ TD’s.
So the Steelers have an Implied Probability of making the Playoff but still have the 7th best odds of AFC teams to do so and in one of the better Divisions.
Bucs have a 60% Implied Probability but better Odds due to the garbage that calls the NFCS Home.
With Mayfield receiving 2 whopping points in 2024 MVP voting compared to Allen’s 383 and Jackson’s 362, with the year he had in the stats department you are throwing your money away at him being +2500 to win it in 2025.
I’d much rather take Rodgers at +7500 as he is due for another great year.
August 15th, 2025 at 1:06 pm
Aaron Rodgers is one of the best examples of the Dunning-Krueger effect I’ve ever seen.
August 15th, 2025 at 2:43 pm
Aaron Rodgers has been fully bought in to Mike Tomlin’s program. Seems like his arm has been strong all camp and the teammates enjoy learning from him. I am expecting a solid performance from Steelers this year . Will make the playoffs and win a game.
August 15th, 2025 at 3:02 pm
I didn’t watch everything Rodgers did last year, but I watched enough to know that dummies who think he’s washed up literally have no idea what they’re watching – and they’re probably the same thing who said for years Ryan Smith was a quality starter and think the Bucs can trade Tucker for a 1st round pick.
Rodgers still has a big arm, was still very accurate, but wasn’t very mobile – but the issue was playing in a truly awful backwards middle school level offense. Even as someone that didn’t even watch or care about the Jets, I could successful call what they were about to run like 80% of the time or more. The issue with going to the Steelers however is Arthur Smith, who also runs a middle school offense, but they are dramatically better coached in Pittsburgh compared to New York, and I think that will be the big difference. If Rodgers stays healthy, he’ll look quite good by the end of the season.
August 15th, 2025 at 3:12 pm
He ain’t washed up. In a real game against the Bucs, he might not be able to throw for as many yards as he possibly could because of often being doubled over laughing, watching how wide open his targets all are, when four DBs are getting stonewalled by his OL and the front five are staring at each other in empty zones while receivers catch passes at an 85% rate.
August 15th, 2025 at 5:40 pm
Aqualung are you sure you’re a Bucs fan? Why are you here?
August 15th, 2025 at 6:32 pm
Aqualung, don’t stop doing what you’re doing. I wasn’t doubled over laughing-but almost! And Rodgers was gifted with an incredible arm and he’s still got it. And he ain’t dead yet. And I can see him being called a Drama Queen.
August 15th, 2025 at 6:37 pm
Using the term Dunning-Krueger effect is the best example of the Dunning-Krueger effect I can think of, lol.
Rodgers is Colin Cowherd’s man crush love object. I have grown to love him too because he drives so many folks nuts. Maybe the best and most versatile pure passer I have seen, too.
As a Browns fan since boyhood I have always hated the Steelers but I hope they win the division this year. It could happen!
August 16th, 2025 at 1:51 am
Thanks, Kenton Smith — I am a Bucs fan since the very beginning. Any time — every time — I ever buy into any hype about how we’re gonna conquer all, it turns to what our old dogs leave in the yard after eating leftovers that accidentally fell on the floor.
Tongue is in cheek, I am doing this on behalf of the team. If I go positive, hit me. Don’t let me do it. It is the true kiss of death.
I consider my role critical to team success, and there are a few humorless idjuts whose skin it gets under along the way. That’s funny.
Go Bucs.
August 16th, 2025 at 2:57 am
Never been a big fan of Rodgers for several reasons. I remember the Bucs D slapped him in the mouth early in his career and he folded like like a cheap tent. I hesitate to say overrated but he doesn’t hold a candle to the great ones.
Go Bucs!