R1 Kaboly says the Steelers are witnessing a type of leadership they’ve literally never experienced before — and it’s coming from Aaron Rodgers 😳🏈
Less than a month ago, everyone seemed to be counting Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers out. And it wasn’t without good reason. After a brutal loss to the Buffalo Bills, both sides of the ball were looking bleak. The Steelers seemed to be destined for another second-half collapse as they lost their lead in the AFC North.
But over the past three weeks, the script has completely flipped. The Steelers are now winners of three straight, including close victories over Baltimore and Detroit. To Steelers insider Mark Kaboly, it’s the biggest change of momentum he’s seen from a team in quite some time.
“A 180, this late in the season. I’ve never seen a team like this, a Steelers team do a 180 like this,” Kaboly said Friday on 93.7 The Fan. “I wrote ’em off after the Buffalo game. I’m like, done, this is the worst team I’ve ever seen.”
The wins have been impressive, partly because they’re coming in the way the Steelers hoped they would when building this roster. Aaron Rodgers is playing well, and the run game has been much more consistent in recent weeks. Defensively, it’s taking quite a bit of shuffling, but the Steelers are finding a method that works. That includes a couple mid-season additions like Kyle Duggar and Asante Samuel Jr.
But to Kaboly, Aaron Rodgers has been the biggest reason for the quick turnaround.
“I think a lot has to do with the quarterback… Just the way he carries himself, the way he interacts, the way he leads. That’s something I don’t think we’ve ever seen here. He doesn’t lead like Ben used to lead. It’s just a different mentality that he goes by here. And it’s worked,” Kaboly said.
The Steelers still need to finish the season strong, and they’ve shown inconsistency throughout the year. But it’s clear that the Aaron Rodgers experience is working. He’s playing as well as the Steelers could have hoped for, which is impressive considering how poorly things looked just a couple of weeks ago.
However, what might be more impressive is his leadership during that stretch. Rodgers had a stain on his reputation from his days in New York, but there really hasn’t been a single example of poor leadership from him throughout the season. The offensive line has improved as the year has progressed. Rodgers was able to reestablish a connection with DK Metcalf before the latter’s suspension, while managing to get the entire pass catching group involved.
Through that time, Rodgers has been nothing but supportive in the media with his teammates. It’s clear he’s got credibility in that locker room, and his offense currently has all the confidence in the world. Calling him the best leader Pittsburgh has seen is a tall compliment. But whether that’s true or not, it’s hard to deny the leadership Aaron Rodgers is providing.
