Aaron Rodgers Hates His New Steelers Helmet: ‘It Looks Like a Damn Spaceship’

Aaron Rodgers didn’t just change teams this offseason: he changed helmets, too.

After wearing the Schutt Air XP Pro Q11 LTD for the first 20 years of his NFL career, the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback had to switch to the Schutt Air XP Pro VTD II with his previous helmet failing to meet newfound safety standards. Consider Rodgers not enthused by the change.

“I don’t like it, no,” Rodgers said about his new helmet on Tuesday, according to ESPN. “I’m trying to change. We’re in the process still. It looks like a damn spaceship out there. We got to change it. The face mask doesn’t fit the helmet because that’s an old face mask, obviously, just like I’m old, but we’re trying to find the right helmet right now.”

Rodgers previously expressed that he couldn’t “stand the helmet.”

The now-41-year-old Rodgers signed with the Steelers in June after being released by the New York Jets in March, ending his two-year stint with Gang Green (2023-24), which followed an 18-year run with the Green Bay Packers (15 seasons as the starter, barring injury). Last season, the four-time NFL MVP quarterback totaled 3,897 passing yards, 28 passing touchdowns, 11 interceptions and a 90.5 passer rating, while completing 63.0% of his passes.

Regarding the rest of Pittsburgh’s quarterback room, sixth-round draft pick Will Howard is expected to miss the entire preseason due to a finger injury, likely paving the way for Mason Rudolph, who’s in his second stint with the franchise, to be Rodgers’ backup.

As for other gripes in Pittsburgh, defensive tackle and four-time All-Pro Cameron Heyward expressed a willingness to sit out games until he gets a raise, saying on Monday that he’s “looking to be valued.” Last month, the Steelers ended a contract dispute with superstar linebacker T.J. Watt, making him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history with a three-year, $123 million extension ($41 million average annual salary). 

Pittsburgh beat the Jacksonville Jaguars in its Week 1 preseason game, with the former now playing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at home on Saturday night. Rodgers is yet to play in the preseason, with his Week 2 preseason availability unknown.

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