As of Thursday afternoon, the Pittsburgh Steelers did not know in the event that they’d safe the companies of veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers now that his divorce from the New York Jets is finalized. Nonetheless, the Steelers officially signed former Jets cornerback Brandin Echols after the brand new league yr opened on Wednesday.
Throughout his introductory information convention on Thursday, Echols made it identified he’d like to share a locker room with Rodgers once more.
“Hell yeah,” Echols stated about Rodgers probably becoming a member of him in Pittsburgh, based on Troy Montgomery of Steelers Depot. “Inform his a–, ‘come on.'”
When Echols spoke, the perception existed that Rodgers was ready to study if the Minnesota Vikings would give him an opportunity to begin for a season over 2024 first-round draft choose J.J. McCarthy after McCarthy spent his total rookie marketing campaign recovering from a whole meniscus repair. The Vikings reportedly are prepared handy the keys to their offense over to McCarthy, however latest tales have additionally linked Rodgers with the New York Giants.
Rodgers already owns a house in New Jersey and will need to keep within the state.
Some reporters and analysts accused Rodgers of being a distraction and a egocentric locker-room presence throughout his Jets tenure for the best way he generated headlines through his “Pat McAfee Present” appearances and since he skipped the membership’s two-day obligatory minicamp final spring to go on a pre-planned journey to Egypt. Quite a few present Jets gamers have since defended the long run Corridor of Famer, and Echols indicated he thinks Rodgers can be a constructive for the Steelers.
“When he first bought [to the Jets in the spring of 2023],” Echols added about Rodgers, “I could not actually really feel him out. However after some time, we type of gravitated in the direction of one another in practices. He began to attempt to assault me, but it surely was for the betterment of me. And I’ll say, having him round, it did make me a greater soccer participant.”
Echols was with the Jets from 2021 by this previous season and, thus, skilled all of the highs and lows of that franchise’s Rodgers period. For higher or worse, it is a trip Echols would take once more if Rodgers is prepared to name Pittsburgh residence for a season or two.
