Aaron Rodgers doesn't like preseason football.
Pittsburgh Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers doesn't care about preseason football.
Why? Because according to Rodgers, it's "not real football."
"It's preseason. It's not real football. So if I do, great. If not, great," Rodgers said. Preseason's a lot different. Teams don't run anything anymore. They just really don't. ... I think preseason football is good to see guys with the pads on, under the lights, how they react to the nerves, but it's not real regular-season football."
The Steelers face Rodgers' old team, the Green Bay Packers, in their preseason opener. Rodgers said if he doesn't play, he views his role as providing comic relief from the sideline.
"I like to be on the headset and calm everybody down," Rodgers said. "Usually the first game, it's a little hectic on the headset. So I like to be the voice of reason, occasional dad joke or one-liner. Just keep everybody settled in a little bit."
One of the top quarterbacks in NFL history, Rodgers put up 3,322 passing yards, 24 passing touchdowns and seven interceptions last season. The future Hall of Famer completed 65.7% of his passes.
Rodgers has been in the NFL since 2005. He has played for the Packers, New York Jets and Steelers and has 527 career passing touchdowns and 66,274 career passing yards in the regular season.
"It was my Super Bowl, for sure," Rodgers said of playing in the preseason 20 years ago. "I was so locked in and dialed in, and then you get out there and you run on a field and the nerves start flooding you and you start trying to slow your breathing down just to remember what the play was that you just heard in your helmet and not have to ask him again on the sideline and say it with conviction in the huddle, and then break the huddle and try and remember what the hell's going on to play and who's got what."
Rodgers will retire from the NFL after this season. Let's see how he does in his farewell tour.
