Former Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is at the point in his career where every little thing he does and says is news. Of course, the evolutions of the NFL tend not to cooperate with older players, so Rodgers, who’s the second-oldest player in the league, is bound to have his "old man yells at clouds" moments.
No matter how outrageous Rodgers’ opinions may seem, it’s not as though he’s alone in his gripes against the NFL’s advancements. Practically the entire league was up in arms about the smelling salt ban, which ultimately did not result in an outright ban. The point is, Rodgers is used to playing football his way, the same as the smelling salt users.
But unlike the salt-smelling players, Rodgers isn’t getting his way on this one. He’ll head into what is likely his final season with the Pittsburgh Steelers wearing a new helmet, and he’s not happy about it. It’s not the black color with the single logo on the side upsetting him, though.
Packers legend Aaron Rodgers is still searching for a comfortable fit in Pittsburgh
Rodgers’ old helmet style, the Schutt Air XP Pro Q11 LTD, no longer passes the NFL’s safety standards. As a result, Rodgers has been wearing the Schutt Air XP Pro VTD II through training camp with the Steelers, and he hasn’t enjoyed the new experience.
"I don’t like it, no," Rodgers said recently, via ESPN. "I’m trying to change. We’re in the process still. It looks like a damn spaceship out there."
Rodgers is still looking for the right fit. He said back in June that he wasn’t looking forward to wearing a new helmet, already knowing his original Schutt helmet wasn’t going to be an option. But even this new Schutt bucket isn’t getting the job done.
"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."
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Rodgers has just a few weeks to get his helmet dilemma sorted out. The Steelers have all but confirmed Rodgers won’t play in the preseason, so at least he won’t have to take any game reps with an ill-fitting helmet, for now.
After all, there are only so many Schutt-brand helmets available to wear in the NFL. Maybe Rodgers, even at 41, can take a chance with Schutt’s newest helmet design, the F7 Pro QB, designed specifically for quarterbacks, unless all of those bevels and the modern design and fit are too "spaceship" like.
While it’s just another quirk for the old statesman of the league, hopefully, he finds the right lid for the season. Packers fans want Rodgers in top shape when Green Bay and Pittsburgh meet on Sunday night in Week 8.