“I think I stated when he returned that we built this offense around his experience,” McCarthy said in a recent Week 1 press conference. “We’ve made terminology changes, and by no means do we want to slow him down. You’re talking about a wealth of experience, talent, and production. It’d be foolish not to lean into that.”
McCarthy, who took over as Pittsburgh’s head coach this offseason, has a strong reason to tailor the system around Rodgers’s strengths. The two spent 13 seasons together with the Green Bay Packers, winning a Super Bowl and producing some of Rodgers’s best football. However, they have not worked together since 2018, so this is not simply reloading an old playbook.
McCarthy is inheriting an offense with an established vocabulary, so he’s preserving pieces that the Steelers’ players already understand while shifting how the unit operates. For Rodgers, that means fewer mental hurdles. For everyone else, it means learning McCarthy’s version of the offense without forgetting last year’s fundamentals.
One of the clearest changes is happening before the snap. Rodgers has pushed for more under-center operation, especially on early downs, with play-action becoming a bigger part of the plan.
“It starts under center. Some of the best offenses in the league are not overly shotgun-based.”
During training camp, a Steelers beat reporter noted the team was using more under-center looks than usual.
From the same initial formation, Pittsburgh can threaten the defense with the run and play-action, creating cleaner windows for Rodgers. It also suits the veteran quarterback’s current style. Analysts have observed that Rodgers released the ball quickly last season, averaging about 2.58 seconds per throw, placing him among the fastest starters in the league. Quick decision-making and efficient throws will be especially important as he enters his 22nd NFL season.
McCarthy is also seeking ways to maximize wide receiver DK Metcalf’s impact. Since acquiring Metcalf before Rodgers’s second season with the team, the coach wants to move the 6-foot-4 target around the formation rather than keeping him fixed in one spot. This gives Rodgers more opportunities to identify favorable matchups before the snap, rather than relying on Metcalf to win a matchup from the same position each time.
That creativity is essential given Rodgers’s first year in Pittsburgh. The veteran passer closed 2025 with 3,322 passing yards, 24 touchdowns, and seven interceptions across 16 games, but his 44.4 QBR ranked 23rd in the league. The Steelers went 10-7 in the regular season (10-6 with Rodgers as the starter), yet the offense finished 15th in scoring. There was production to build on, but McCarthy has room to extract more.
Rodgers has already noticed improvements in camp. “I think we’re ahead of where we were last year,” he said, praising tight end Pat Freiermuth, Metcalf, tight end Robert Tonyan, and others. While early signs are encouraging, it remains to be seen how defenses will respond in actual games.
There is a younger supporting cast around him. Receiver Roman Wilson has taken first-team reps from the slot, while rookie Germie Bernard has earned opportunities in camp. Rodgers has praised the developing pass catchers, and their growth could be crucial if the Steelers want more options without over-relying on the veteran quarterback.
McCarthy has acknowledged that missed assignments ran a bit higher than normal during camp, a reminder that a new system does not become second nature overnight.
If the under-center work, Metcalf’s movement, and improved chemistry with the younger receivers translate to Sundays, Pittsburgh could finally have an offense tailored to what its quarterback does best.
There is limited time to figure it out. Rodgers has one season left, McCarthy is launching a new chapter in Pittsburgh, and the Steelers are coming off another playoff appearance that ended without a win. The offense does not need to be revolutionary. It needs to be sharper, more flexible, and significantly more dangerous when the games matter most.
