Aaron Rodgers sparked major controversy with the Pittsburgh Steelers after calling out Jonnu Smith for running the wrong route against the Bills and speaking vaguely about possible player absences from team meetings.
“When there’s film sessions, everybody shows up. When I check to a route, you do the right route. Like Jonnu and I just weren’t on the same page. I checked to his in-breaker and he ran an out-breaker. Jonnu is a true professional. I’m sure he’s sick about that.”
That quote from the Super Bowl champion quarterback sparked a frenzy on social media because he wasn’t very clear about whether some of his teammates were actually skipping meetings or not. Now, Pat Freiermuth has finally spoken about the situation.
What did Aaron Rodgers say about teammates?
After Aaron Rodgers said that Jonnu Smith didn’t run the correct route and was very ambiguous about the player meetings situation, Pat Freiermuth settled the controversy by saying that his quarterback was misunderstood.
“Everyone shows up and everyone contributes in a positive manner. I think he was just more so talking about being on the same page with signals and stuff. We don’t have an issue with guys not showing up.”
Who is the Steelers’ main tight end?
In Arthur Smith’s system with multiple tight ends, Pat Freiermuth has been one of the biggest players affected, with only 26 catches for 296 yards. Right now, it seems like Darnell Washington is the top choice, and then probably Jonnu Smith.
However, Freiermuth limited himself to saying that he will keep working to improve. “Obviously it’s frustrating but, at the end of the day, I have complete faith in Arthur. Just got to be able to understand my role and hopefully it changes going forward.”
Will the Steelers fire Mike Tomlin?
The Steelers are not going to fire Mike Tomlin because he is under contract through 2027. However, due to the on- and off-field controversies, as well as a season with a 6–6 record, fans and experts have called for both sides to mutually agree to part ways. For now, it’s all just rumors.
Can the Steelers miss the playoffs with Mike Tomlin?
Yes. The Steelers can miss the playoffs under Mike Tomlin because, with a 6–6 record, they need to win all their remaining games or, in the best-case scenario, beat the Ravens twice and get a win over the Browns to strengthen their divisional record.
If they don’t win out, they would need help from Baltimore and Cincinnati, with both teams having tough schedules. The wild card race is very difficult because they are two games behind the Bills, Chargers, and Jaguars, and they lose the tiebreakers to the first two teams.