Aaron Rodgers lost his cool on the Steelers sideline during Thursday night’s game against the Browns in Pittsburgh, caught on the Amazon Prime Video broadcast screaming an obscenity at his own bench.
Midway through the first quarter, the 42-year-old quarterback was seen yelling toward the Steelers’ sideline in what appeared to be a breakdown over a play call. Rodgers was heard shouting, “What the f–k. Call it.”
Aaron Rodgers to Mike McCarthy: “What the f***? CALL IT.” Mike McCarthy: “Fu**ing as*hole.”
Cameras then cut to head coach Mike McCarthy, who appeared to fire back at Rodgers over the headset. What exactly McCarthy said was not made clear by the broadcast.
A few plays later, Rodgers was caught again side-eyeing the bench and muttering “f–k” after McCarthy called another play.
Rodgers and McCarthy go back years — McCarthy coached Rodgers for the bulk of his career in Green Bay. Now, in McCarthy’s first season running the Steelers, the two appear to be hitting friction early in 2026.
After Pittsburgh’s 20-3 loss to the Patriots in Week 2, Rodgers was already pointing to communication problems with his coaching staff.
“In a game like today, where there wasn’t a lot of flow to it, we need to be better, and it starts with me,” Rodgers told reporters. “Making sure that Mike knows what’s working and what’s not working. The coaches know, so that we can call stuff that gives us a better chance.”
McCarthy had struck a different tone before the season began, telling ESPN that his conversations with Rodgers had been positive.
“Just like they always are, life, football, what’s going on at the facility,” McCarthy said. “So he’s really engaged with what’s going on… I would just say he’s in a very positive space. We’ll just continue to engage in conversations.”
Thursday night’s outburst suggests that positivity has its limits.
