Steelers QB coach Tom Arth reminisces about his time playing with Aaron Rodgers

Not every NFL career is the same. Some are long-time starters in the league, while others’ time is just a blip on the proverbial radar. When it comes to the Pittsburgh Steelers, they have two individuals who have experienced both sides of the aforementioned spectrum. The signing of Aaron Rodgers, who will be 42 this December, marked the seasoned veteran hoping for one last moment in the sun before calling it a career. On the other end is Tom Arth, the Steelers quarterbacks coach, who bounced around the league without ever playing.

The two were teammates in Green Bay when Arth left the Indianapolis Colts and was signed by the Packers. Going from Peyton Manning to Aaron Rodgers was something Arth still remembers.

“First of all, I recognized his talent immediately,” Arth remembered. “I had just come from Indianapolis and spent three years with Peyton (Manning) and obviously saw the way he played and the way he threw the ball and all those things. It was really immediate to me, seeing Aaron and saying, ‘Man, this guy’s got some really special gifts.’ The arm talent and the athleticism, the release, all those things are so evident.

“But also, just his approach to the game. He’s a very intelligent person and I was able to see that in him as a young player. That was his first offseason, going into his second year in the league. You already sensed, ‘OK, this guy’s playing on a little bit of a different level than most.’

“We got along very well, played a lot of golf, ate a lot of meals. There’s not a lot to do up in Green Bay, so he was awesome. That was a really special time in my life and really fortunate to have had that experience.”

At that time Rodgers was just starting his career, and now Arth is coaching the same man, but at the end of his career. A common next question is whether Arth thinks Rodgers still has the game to win meaningful football games?

“I still think he’s at the top of his game,” Arth continued. “I think he’s a top quarterback in the league. You go through in free agency and you watch all the available free agents and quarterbacks, Aaron was extremely impressive. He still throws the ball very well, he’s accurate, he’s so smart. And you can see his decision-making, doesn’t take a lot of sacks, doesn’t turn the ball over.

“It was an exciting opportunity when that started to become a possibility for us. I was really hopeful that it would all work out and I’m glad it did.”

Arth turned 44 in May and never played a snap in the NFL. Rodgers is 41 and will eventually be headed for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
And they’ve been friends since that long-ago offseason in Green Bay. But Arth maintains their shared history is one of the reasons he anticipates they’ll work well together.

“It’s just part of that relationship and realizing from my perspective there’s so much to learn from Aaron, so much to learn from his experience and how he sees things, how he sees the game,” Arth said. “I think part of our relationship now, coach-player type of relationship, is me understanding that, understanding how he sees it. The ways that he’s been coached in the past, that’s important to me, what’s worked, what hasn’t, what’s helpful to him, what isn’t.

“Those are all things that we’re going to talk through and work out as we prepare for (training camp in) Latrobe and the season beyond.”

The fact Arth and Rodgers have a history together should be viewed as a positive, and it should help Rodgers get acclimated and comfortable in the system the Steelers want to deploy. Will it equate in wins this upcoming season? No one can say that at this juncture, but it certainly doesn’t hurt.

Be sure to stay tuned to SCN for the latest news and notes surrounding the Steelers as they prepare for training camp at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.