Bill Cowher: Aaron Rodgers Should Get Autonomy With Pittsburgh Steelers

With Aaron Rodgers now with the Pittsburgh Steelers, former head coach Bill Cowher reveals how he would coach the four-time MVP.

Bill Cowher on Aaron Rodgers In Pittsburgh

If there’s anyone who understands winning in Pittsburgh, it’s Cowher.

Cowher was the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers for 15 seasons, from 1992 to 2006. Cowher guided the Steelers to victory in Super Bowl XL.

Cowher has served as an NFL on CBS analyst since retiring as a head coach.

Cowher was a guest on Tuesday’s edition of The Dan Patrick Show. Patrick brought up Rodgers, the projected starting quarterback for the Steelers in 2025.

Patrick asked Cowher if he would give Rodgers autonomy to “go out there and run it.” The radio host compared it to Cowher’s treatment of Ben Roethlisberger, the winning quarterback in Super Bowl XL.

Without hesitation, Cowher answered the question.

“Absolutely,” Cowher said. “I don’t think there’s any question about it. And I think Aaron’s at a point where he knows you don’t want him to be throwing the ball 40 times a game at this point. You want Aaron Rodgers to be healthy going into the playoffs. Hopefully, you get to the playoffs.

“I think in the meantime, you create a balance on your football team. You’re not just relying on his arm throughout the course of four quarters. Listen, you can turn the ball over to him at the end of a half, at the end of a game, and know he’s been there before, and I think he will operate that very, very efficiently.”

Cowher stressed that Mike Tomlin’s goal is to get Rodgers comfortable in this system and with the players around him.

Pittsburgh Steelers Have A Sense Of Urgency This Season

New threads for Year 21 🫡@AaronRodgers12 | @steelers pic.twitter.com/Ewv9aOFbLS

— NFL (@NFL) July 1, 2025

The Steelers are known for showing patience and staying the course. They rarely make drastic decisions.

Rodgers is a move that’s very un-Steelers-like.

Cowher agrees with Patrick’s assessment of Pittsburgh’s urgency.

“Eight years, no playoff wins. There is a degree of urgency in that building, no question about it,” Cowher explained.

Cowher mentioned that Tomlin, general manager Omar Khan, and owner Art Rooney II are all feeling the pressure to win, especially in the postseason. The Steelers are 0-6 since their last playoff win during the 2016 season.

Cowher stressed that the most important thing for the Steelers is to win their division. Then, they must work on their communication as a team.

“I think the biggest thing right now is going out there and trying to bring this whole thing together,” Cowher said. “A lot of change in terms of the faces of this team. That doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time. Communication has to take place.”