Aaron Rodgers kept Mike Tomlin and the Pittsburgh Steelers waiting for months, but he ultimately made them happy by signing a one-year deal for the 2025 NFL season. The quarterback looks excited about this chapter, sending a special message to Steelers fans in his first media appearance in Pittsburgh.
Still, there’s something that is already bothering the 41-year-old, and he didn’t hesitate to let the NFL know about it. With the league banning the helmet he used last season, Rodgers has complained about using new headwear in 2025.
“I can’t stand the helmet,” Rodgers told reporters on Tuesday, as quoted by Pro Football Talk. “I’ve worn a Schutt for 20 years and somehow it finally didn’t pass the safety standard.”
What helmet did Aaron Rodgers wear last season?
Rodgers has used a Schutt helmet throughout his illustrious career, wearing the Schutt Air XP Pro Q11 LTD model in the 2024 NFL season with the New York Jets. Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reported that said helmet was listed as “not recommended” last year before being banned in 2025 due to safety concerns.
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers wore the Schutt Air XP Pro Q11 LTD helmet in the 2024 NFL season with the New York Jets.
USA Today notes that the helmet Rodgers wore in his first practice with the Steelers at the mandatory minicamp Tuesday was the Schutt F7 Pro model helmet, approved by the NFL for the 2025 season.
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How did Rodgers react to changing helmets in the past?
Even though Rodgers looks particularly upset about this situation, it’s not the first time he’s forced to change helmets. A couple of concussions led him to leave the helmet with which he started his career, and in 2019, the NFL also banned the one he wore for nearly a decade. Curiously, Rodgers handled it quite differently at that moment.
“It’s not difficult at all,” Rodgers said back then, via Sports Illustrated. “I’ve worn very similar helmets my entire career. I changed after 2010, when I had two concussions, to a safer one. I was wearing the one like Favrey (Brett Favre) was wearing for so long. That was a little outdated, probably, and then I think around that time when the CBA got signed, they had some better regulations about the safety quality of the helmets, and I’ve just kind of been up to date for years.
“… The way they make helmets these days, they do a great job of molding it to your head – the fit is spectacular,” he added. “I can go from this helmet to a VICIS helmet to a different helmet, and as far as the fit is concerned, you don’t really notice the difference at all. It fits really nicely.”
SurveyHow far will Rodgers lead the Steelers?
How far will Rodgers lead the Steelers?
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There’s nothing Tomlin or the Steelers can do about it. Rodgers will have to find a new helmet and that’s it. Fortunately, he has plenty of time to do so before the real competition starts. Now it’s about settling in at his new team and build chemistry with his new teammates, as this could be A-Rod’s last chance to add another Super Bowl ring to his decorated résumé.
