Aaron Rodgers Had the Saddest Reaction to Mike Tomlin Leaving the Steelers

Mike Tomlin stepped down from his longtime post as head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers earlier this week. Tomlin broke the news to the players in the final team meeting according to The Athletic and the resulting scene was one of heartbreak and devastation.

T.J. Watt was in tears. Joey Porter Jr. was described as "almost hyperventilating." A staff member compared it to a funeral and said, "It's like finding out your dad died.

Aaron Rodgers, who just signed with the Steelers during the 2024 offseason and might have been on his way out the door regardless of whether or not Tomlin stayed on as coach, was also devastated. The way it's described in The Athletic, it sounds like he could barely speak through the tears.

Inside the team meeting room on Tuesday, Rodgers, through sobs, mustered a two-word message to deliver to his coach: “I’m sorry,” several players heard him say. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”

Rodgers had the most productive season of any Steelers quarterback since Ben Roethlisberger, but he was still well below the standards he had set for himself. He may have had the most high-profile mistakes in their season-ending playoff loss to the Texans, but he probably knows that he's not the reason Tomlin isn't returning next season.

Either way, it's a sad end to what can best be described as a notable season.

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