Theismann: McCarthy's presence made Rodgers' Steelers return inevitable

Joe Theismann, the former Washington Redskins quarterback and Super Bowl XVII champion, says Mike McCarthy was the decisive factor behind Aaron Rodgers agreeing to play a second season with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Theismann told Fox News Digital that he rated Rodgers' return a near-certainty the moment McCarthy was confirmed as offensive coordinator, giving the 42-year-old quarterback a familiar system rather than an unfamiliar one.

"I think Aaron coming back was a no-brainer for me because Mike McCarthy's there," Theismann said. "If there was a different coordinator, I don't think Aaron would have come back. If Mike's there, I basically thought it was 90-10 he would return." McCarthy and Rodgers spent 13 seasons together with the Green Bay Packers, a partnership that produced four NFL MVP awards for the quarterback. Theismann argued that shared history eliminates much of the pre-season burden typically placed on a veteran changing teams. "Aaron doesn't have to spend a lot of time in OTAs understanding the terminology, figuring out the reads," Theismann said. "He could coach anybody when it comes to the system that I'm sure they're going to run. So there's a comfort level for him when he goes there."

Rodgers posted statistically competitive numbers in his first season in Pittsburgh, completing 65.7 percent of his passes for 3,322 yards with 24 touchdowns and seven interceptions across 16 games. Theismann acknowledged that Rodgers' mobility has diminished with age and placed the responsibility for protecting him squarely on the offensive line. "He's going to get the ball out of his hands quickly," Theismann said. "But they're going to have to shore up the offensive line and protect him. If they want Aaron Rodgers to be the Aaron Rodgers that they hope he can be, they're going to have to give him a chance to hold the ball and throw it downfield."

Pittsburgh enters the season under a new head coach for the first time in close to two decades, yet Theismann does not expect the franchise's competitive identity to shift. "Pittsburgh is still going to be Pittsburgh. I don't think their mentality is going to change one bit. They are the Pittsburgh Steelers - one tough football team that plays in a very tough division," he said. Theismann, 76, was named NFL MVP in 1983, appeared in two Pro Bowls, and completed 56.7 percent of his passes for 25,206 yards with 160 touchdowns during his 12-year career entirely with Washington.