Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers Postgame Transcript 9/20
STEELERS QUARTERBACK AARON RODGERS
POSTGAME PRESS CONFERENCE
September 20, 2026
Q: Aaron, what do you see as some of the problems here with the offense and the rhythm, trying to get going? What’s going on?
AR: Yeah, I’ve got to look at the film. We just didn’t get into a rhythm. We had too many three-and-outs again. I didn’t feel like there was anybody that had an exceptional game out there. We all played below our standard.
Q: Talking with Mike [McCarthy], he was just in here, and he said that he felt, could sense that something was off Wednesday, Thursday in practice. Is that something that you felt that things were kind of herky-jerky is the word he used?
AR: I didn’t feel that way maybe Wednesday, Thursday. I felt like it was a grind. We had a good grind practice on Thursday, but I’d have to think about that.
Q: What makes you confident this offense can and will have success?
AR: Just what I’ve seen saw in practice, what I saw in training camp. These are just the first couple of weeks. You see different looks and unscouted stuff. I don’t think we all adjusted very well to some of the things they were doing.
Q: How bothersome was their pressure?
AR: They only got me once, I think, but there was definitely — the pocket wasn’t as stable, but they brought a lot of six-man pressure.
Q: How frustrating is it when you can’t get in the end zone?
AR: Yeah, it’s frustrating, for sure. The defense has been playing great. They’ve been holding 13 points a game in two games, and offensively, I think we’re averaging like 8 points a game. That’s not winning football.
Q: Aaron, in that drive before Germie’s [Bernard] bobble, what did you see that you liked? Is there anything you saw in that drive that you can use to build on?
AR: I love changing the tempo, and I feel like he had a couple of good plays and some good motions. They played a little bit softer because they were up by 17. But yeah, I like the rhythm of that.
Q: What do you think you need to do to get more on the same page with DK [Metcalf], especially in the vertical passing?
AR: I’m not worried about it. We’re going to get it sorted out. We’ve been on the same page since I came back. I’ll talk with DK like I always do, and we’ll be fine.
Q: Dylan [Cook] and Zach [Frazier] both talked about what a leader you are. I’m sure today didn’t go as well as you wanted it to. How do you encourage them when things kind of aren’t going as well as they should be?
AR: I think we’ve got to take ownership as players. We’ve got to be accountable to each other about our performance. Mine wasn’t good enough, and a lot of guys on offense wasn’t good enough. We’ve got to start with ourselves and not point the finger and not ride the roller coaster. It’s a long season. They’re the Super Bowl team from last year; we knew it was going to be a tough game. Our defense played excellent football. When they hold them to 13 points, we’ve got to win the game. It’s definitely on us to play better. You’re not going to see me panic. I don’t think Mike’s [McCarthy] going to panic. Urgency is going to go up a little bit for sure, but no panic.
Q: You hopped up pretty quick on the one where you got hit in the back. How were you able to get up that quickly, and it didn’t seem you looked like you were fazed.
AR: I’ve learned you’ve got to get up quickly, number one, so they don’t try and send anybody out to get you. Yeah, that was definitely a shot. I haven’t taken too many of those in my career because usually I have a feeling if we’re picked up or not picked up. That was a lapse in communication, obviously, there.
Q: How do you expect this team to react to an increased urgency?
AR: Well, I think. As long as the leadership steps up. Can’t feel sorry for ourselves. Can’t point fingers. We’ve all got to play better. I think we can all give a little more. The best teams are player-led teams. We’ve got to keep taking the ownership. In a game like today where there wasn’t a lot of flow to it, we need to be better, and that starts with me at making sure Mike [McCarthy] knows what’s working, what’s not working, our coaches know, so we can call stuff that we feel like has a better chance.
Q: In Germie’s [Bernard] debut, you went to him four times in the one drive.
AR: He created some separation, made some contested catches, and then made a rookie play. I thought I saw some growth. I’m proud of him. He’s a good kid and cares about it. We’re going to need him to keep improving.
Q: Telling Mike [McCarthy] what’s working and not working, how do you assess the play calling today and in the last two weeks without a bigger sample size?
AR: It’s not that big of a sample size, but I thought we didn’t execute very well at all. The plays were fine. We had opportunities, and we’ve got to dig into the details on some of this stuff. If there’s too much stuff in the plan, we’ve got to cut it back. I always like to push the envelope. If I see guys doing it the right way in practice, then I feel good about it, but we’ve got to practice the practice to the game, obviously, and all the details that come with it.
Q: Mike McCarthy is taking a lot of ownership, saying things could be better. What do you see from him in these early moments of the first few games with the new team?
AR: I’ve seen Mike for 14 years. So, Mike is going to take accountability, sometimes when it’s not his fault, doesn’t need to do that. Mike loves the guys, and he wants us to have some urgency and to bounce back with this. I know we will.