Details Emerge About ‘Frayed' Relationship Between Aaron Rodgers, Mike McCarthy

Mike McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers had a pretty successful run together back when they were both with the Green Bay Packers.

In 13 seasons, the duo won 125 games, made nine playoff appearances and four NFC Championship Game appearances, won six division titles, and one Super Bowl championship.

But McCarthy was fired 12 games into the 2018 season amid rumors he and Rodgers were clashing. And now that they're set to reunite with the Pittsburgh Steelers next season, many have wondered if enough time has passed for their relationship to have healed.

"I think the relationship is in a better place now because it's been more than seven years since they lost a game together," ESPN's Dan Graziano said on "Get Up" on Monday.

"Obviously, I think given time - and Rodgers has talked about this - the time that's gone on in between has sort of helped him appreciate what he and Mike McCarthy accomplished together. So, I think there's been a softening of a relationship that was absolutely frayed, if not broken, by the time of Mike McCarthy's time in Green Bay."

Rodgers signed a one-year deal worth up to $25 million with the Steelers over the weekend after months of stringing the team along.

Pittsburgh also drafted Penn State's Drew Allar in the third round of the 2026 draft, presumably as a backup plan if things go south with Rodgers next season, which Graziano hinted could absolutely happen.

"If things were to start to go bad, if the Steelers were to lose games [and] have a rough season, I mean the fact of the matter is, we've seen with Aaron Rodgers how it goes," Graziano added. "He makes sure that he's not the one getting blamed."

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This story was originally published May 18, 2026 at 4:37 PM.