Aaron Rodgers already hates one thing about Steelers practice: Veteran QB says he ‘can’t stand’ this

Aaron Rodgers has been with the Pittsburgh Steelers for less than a week and he already has one complaint. Unfortunately for the Steelers, it’s a problem they aren’t going to be able to fix. The four-time MVP is practicing with a helmet that he absolutely hates. 

For the past few years, Rodgers has worn a Schutt Air XP Q11 helmet, but that exact model was banned by the NFL for the 2025 season, so the Steelers quarterback has been forced to pick a new model. He showed up at practice on Tuesday with a Schutt F7 Pro, and let’s just say he wasn’t a big fan of that particular helmet. 

“I can’t stand the helmet,” Rodgers said, via NFL Media. “I’ve worn a Schutt for 20 years and somehow it finally didn’t pass the safety standards.”

Rodgers was allowed to wear his favored helmet model in 2024 with the New York Jets, but just barely. Prior to the 2024 season, the NFL did some testing on that model and gave it a “not recommended” label, but Rodgers decided to wear it anyway. For 2025, the Schutt Air XP Q11 ended up being one of seven helmet models that were totally banned, which is why Rodgers is now in search of a new helmet. 

Here’s a look at the seven models that were legal to wear last year, but have been dumped for 2025: 

• Riddell Foundation
• Riddell Speed Icon
• Riddell Speed
• Riddell Revolution Speed Classic
• Schutt Air XP Pro Q11
• Xenith Epic+
• Xenith Epic

Rodgers made a helmet switch back in 2019 and made it sound like it wasn’t a big deal, but at 41 years old, he is clearly irritated at the fact that he has to make a change. The former Super Bowl MVP has made a lot of changes this year — he changed teams, he got married — but changing helmets is one change he would prefer not to be making.