Aaron Rodgers Sends Blunt Warning on Steelers Rookie

Steelers News Aaron Rodgers Sends Blunt Warning on Steelers Rookie Chris Ward Follow | Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Germie Bernard during a preseason game against the Green Bay Packers on Aug. 13, 2026. -- Ed Thompson / Steelers Now Pittsburgh Steelers rookie wide receiver Germie Bernard turned heads at training camp and the preseason but the regular season will be a whole different animal. Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers recently put out a reminder that rookie WRs rarely breakout in Year 1. 'Well, I think anytime you bring in a young player, unless they're Calvin Johnson, you have to temper your expectations,' Rodgers said on Cam Heyward's Not Just Football podcast. 'Justin Jefferson as well, Randy Moss, there's like a handful of guys who've been like dominant receivers. It's one of the most difficult positions I think to transfer from college to the NFL. It usually takes guys a year or two. The best guys I had in Green Bay, if you think about all of them, from Greg Jennings to James Jones, Jordy Nelson, Davante Adams, Randall Cobb, their rookie years were not explosive years. 'So, I think you need to temper expectations for sure with Germie. But he's a great kid. He's done everything right. He's gotten better, I think, throughout training camp.' Germie has learned a lot already. 'I'm learning a lot. I think my game has grown a lot. Mentally, I'm able to slow the game down and play fast like I'm supposed to,' the rookie out of Alabama said on Monday. Bernard also opens up about a conversation he had with Rodgers during training camp. 'Early in camp he pulled me to the side and said 'If you're going to be out there with me, these are the things you have to do. These are the things you have to look for.' Like I just continue to say, when I'm on the field with him. I'm always just asking him questions so I can be on the same page with him,' Bernard said. Bernard scored his first career NFL touchdown in the preseason finale against the Buffalo Bills. After a muffed punt by Buffalo's Ray Davis, the Steelers were set up with great field position at Buffalo's 13-yard line. On the following play, Bernard caught a short screen from Will Howard and went 13 yards for a touchdown. Bernard broke two tackles and went into the end zone, giving the Steelers a 7-3 lead with 7:10 remaining in the first quarter. Bernard has shown a knack for picking up yards after the catch in the preseason. Bernard averaged 9.2 YAC/rec, ranks No. 2 of 50 WRs with 5+ catches this preseason, according to Warren Sharp of Sharp Football. Bernard had four receptions on five targets for 51 yards (12.8 average) in the first preseason game against the Green Bay Packers. Bernard displayed impressive run after the catch abilities on a 25-yard reception in the first quarter. 'I feel like one of my best character traits as a player is just my run-after-catch, so when I've got the ball in my hand, I just do what I do best,' Bernard said after his team's 28-9 preseason-opening win.