TE Jonnu Smith is the most recent tight finish within the Pittsburgh Steelers’ locker room. However he actually has expertise, eight seasons of NFL expertise to be actual. Which means he’s been across the block a number of occasions. Nonetheless, he hasn’t performed with a quarterback with Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers’ expertise earlier than.
And Smith is actually trying ahead to the expertise.
“I keep in mind watching A-Rod after I was in center faculty, I feel, or highschool, what I imply?” Smith mentioned to the media after the primary observe of coaching camp Thursday per video from Steelers.com. “Early years in highschool and him successful Tremendous Bowls. This man has seen the whole lot there’s to see. And I’m going to proceed to choose his mind, proceed to construct that chemistry with him. Like I mentioned earlier than, I’m excited that he’s the man out right here main us.”
A veteran getting into his ninth yr, Smith remembers being in highschool and watching his present beginning quarterback play. That’s not precisely the norm, however then once more, the Steelers haven’t precisely been working as regular this offseason.
However Smith’s feedback spotlight the oddity of this upcoming season. The Pittsburgh Steelers are relying on a 41-year-old quarterback to make them playoff success. On one hand, that’s dangerous as a result of who is aware of how lengthy Aaron Rodgers can keep wholesome? That’s one in all Dan Orlovsky’s three keys to the Steelers being a superb soccer staff.
However, as Jonnu Smith mentioned, Rodgers’ expertise is invaluable to youthful gamers. He’s received a Tremendous Bowl and received a number of MVPs. He has numerous data to impart to different gamers, even veterans like Smith. And Smith plans on soaking all that data up whereas working onerous to get on the identical web page as Rodgers. If Smith needs to copy any of the success he had with the Miami Dolphins final yr, he’ll have to construct fairly the rapport with Rodgers.
However will Aaron Rodgers be as efficient a soccer participant as he is usually a repository of information? Smith thinks so.
“The arm nonetheless works, man,” Smith mentioned when requested if he was involved about Rodgers being within the twilight of his profession. “And the IQ has all the time been at an elite stage. We simply gotta do our finish and do our half, do our job, and make it simpler on him. I nonetheless see after I watched his movie from final yr, I’ve seen Aaron Rodgers that I’ve been seeing my entire life.”
The Steelers are actually banking on Rodgers enjoying on the stage he confirmed towards the tip of final yr with the New York Jets. Certain, they’d love a return to his MVP days. However the plan is that the Steelers can depend on their protection and working sport to take the strain off Rodgers. They don’t need him to need to throw the ball throughout Pittsburgh and past to win soccer video games. They simply need him to make the mandatory performs when it’s time.
It seems like Jonnu Smith has all the religion that Aaron Rodgers can do exactly that with the identical expertise as earlier than. It will be fairly the trip off into the sundown, main the Steelers to a profitable 2025. Until 2025 isn’t Rodgers’ closing yr, in fact.
