Former Steelers cornerback Joe Haden has offered some important advice as Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers head into the 2025 season with one goal—winning the Super Bowl. Bringing in a 41-year-old quarterback makes it clear the team is in win-now mode. Rodgers still has the talent to help them go after a title, but there are still plenty of questions that need answers.
Mike Tomlin has done a great job as head coach. He’s never had a losing season since taking over the Steelers. But this year, just having a solid record isn’t enough.
Last season with the New York Jets, Rodgers showed signs he could still play at a high level. Coming back from a torn Achilles, he completed 63% of his passes for 3,897 yards, 28 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. Those stats gave fans and coaches reason to believe he can still lead a team.
Joe Haden's advice
One key to making it all work this year will be communication between Rodgers and the team. Haden spoke about that and gave Rodgers some honest advice for this new chapter in his career.
"You just got to be a grown man, go there, be honest," Haden said. "Coach Tomlin does a great job of being able to build real, genuine relationships with people. Me and him had a relationship where you could just talk... One thing he's going to do, he's going to be blatantly honest with you, so you just need to be honest with him. Coach Tomlin is so real. There's no fluff, there's no fake, so when he tells you something, he means it."
{{/usCountry}}"You just got to be a grown man, go there, be honest," Haden said. "Coach Tomlin does a great job of being able to build real, genuine relationships with people. Me and him had a relationship where you could just talk... One thing he's going to do, he's going to be blatantly honest with you, so you just need to be honest with him. Coach Tomlin is so real. There's no fluff, there's no fake, so when he tells you something, he means it."
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Rodgers has never been afraid to speak his mind, so having honest talks with Tomlin shouldn’t be an issue. What will be interesting is how the season plays out. The Steelers have built a strong roster and are counting on Rodgers to play like the star he’s been for most of his career.
Haden’s advice is solid, and it’s likely Rodgers will follow it. His role is to step in, lead the offense, and play at a high level. He’s done that before—and if he can do it again, the Steelers could be serious contenders.