Steelers WR Adam Thielen Reveals Secret Behind Aaron Rodgers’ Success at 42

In an incredible twist of fate, Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers were able to avoid their 2025 NFL season coming to an end, as they watched Baltimore Ravens kicker Tyler Loop miss a field goal during the regular-season finale between the two bitter AFC North division rivals.

With the Steelers moving on, Rodgers and company will have the tall task of going up against one of the best defenses in the NFL, with the Houston Texans coming to Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh on Monday, January 12.

Ahead of this clash between AFC heavyweights during Wild Card Weekend, veteran wide receiver Adam Thielen shared some interesting thoughts on Rodgers, who is potentially heading into his last game in the NFL.

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Adam Thielen Opens Up on Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers

Thielen, who may also be playing his last game in the NFL on Monday, opened up about Rodgers and catching passes from the four-time NFL MVP.

“You have a certain perception of someone from afar, right? I was never in the huddle a lot, but I played against him a lot, was able to get to know him a little bit off the field, playing golf together a bunch, but when you are in the huddle, you start to understand why someone’s great, what they do week in and week out, the things that people don’t see during the week,” Thielen said of Rodgers. “You just show up on Sundays and have success, right? It’s the things he does through the week that really impress me and really show me why he’s been so good for so long.

“His attention to detail, his communication. His process is elite and he is who he is.”

Despite being a Minnesota native and having an attachment to the Minnesota Vikings franchise, Thielen requested to be released so he could have a shot at contending in the twilight of his NFL career, and he’s gotten that opportunity with the Steelers.

He’s also clearly been impressed with what he’s seen from Rodgers in a short amount of time.

“I’ve really noticed since the day that I’ve got here,” Thielen said of Rodgers. “Just how calm he is in the huddle. He kind of just brings this demeanor when he starts calling out plays. It’s really slow and thought out, and it just gives everybody some calmness.

“A lot of times us as athletes, we kind of get in the moment and we get anxious and we get stressed and we to call a play a little faster, but he kind of brings that calmness and that demeanor that has been really cool to be around.”

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Aaron Rodgers is Confident in Steelers’ Chances

Ahead of the playoff clash with the Texans, Rodgers is confident about his team’s chances of coming out on top and advancing to the next round of the postseason.

“Clean the slate, now. Anybody can make a run,” Rodgers said, via 93.7 The Fan on Thursday afternoon. “It’s the hottest team. We’ve won four out of five. We’re playing a lot better football than we were earlier in the season.

“I like our chances.”

Even though the Steelers will play host to the Texans on Monday, Houston is the favorite (-3), with Rodgers expected to face a tough challenge against an elite defense.

Ryan Ward is a longtime credentialed writer covering the NBA and NFL. He has over 15 years of experience in the sports industry from writing, editing, social media management and podcasting. He has covered the Lakers and Raiders for Medium Large Sports, with a previous stint at ClutchPoints. Ward is a Los Angeles native from the United Kingdom, who now resides in Colorado.
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