HH. AARON RODGERS BUILDS HOMES, NOT JUST HOPE — STEELERS STAR DONATES 8 SMART HOUSES TO WOUNDED VETERANS AHEAD OF VETERANS DAY
PITTSBURGH, PA – October 14, 2025 — Aaron Rodgers has always been known for his arm strength and leadership on the field, but this week, his impact went far beyond football. Just days before Veterans Day, the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback donated eight custom-designed smart homes to severely wounded U.S. veterans.
The project is part of Rodgers’ long-term initiative to honor soldiers injured in Afghanistan, Iraq, and other post-9/11 conflicts. For him, this is not just charity — it’s a way to give back to those who gave everything.
Each house is custom-built with adaptive technology, allowing residents to control lights, doors, and home systems through voice commands or mobile apps. The goal: restore independence and dignity for heroes who sacrificed theirs.
The homes feature barrier-free layouts, wide entrances, smooth flooring, and lowered kitchen and bathroom setups for wheelchair access. Every design element is meant to make daily life easier and more empowering.
They’re also energy-efficient, using solar panels and eco-friendly materials to reduce costs while promoting sustainability — something Rodgers personally called “a new kind of freedom for those who earned it.”
Each property, valued between $500,000 and $700,000, is funded through Rodgers’ partnership with the Generosity Sports Foundation, which works with local builders to construct homes near each veteran’s preferred community.
Since 2020, Rodgers’ initiative has led to over 100 smart homes built nationwide, with new projects underway in New York, Pennsylvania, and Texas. Many veterans have called them “a true place of peace after years of struggle.”
Recipients include veterans from all branches — Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines — many living with limb loss, paralysis, or traumatic brain injuries suffered in service.
At the home dedication ceremony, Rodgers spoke with humility and passion:
“These heroes gave more than most people can imagine. They fought for our safety, and now it’s our turn to fight for their comfort.”
He paused, his voice steady but emotional:
“Every door that opens, every light that turns on — it’s a reminder that they’re not forgotten. This country stands tall because they did first.”
Rodgers’ effort has already inspired other athletes and Pittsburgh-based philanthropists to join, expanding the program to include financial grants, mobility vehicles, and veteran rehabilitation support.
As the snow began to fall over Pittsburgh, one truth echoed louder than any crowd at Heinz Field — Aaron Rodgers isn’t just leading the Steelers. He’s leading by heart.
Colts have no choice but to move on from this $7 million problem
It needs to be done.
Sometimes, for a player to be at his best, he or she simply needs to find a new team to play for. Perhaps it’s a cultural fit, or a fit in a scheme, but things aren’t working out. This is the case with the Indianapolis Colts and wide receiver Adonai Mitchell.
Indianapolis has clearly lost faith in the young wide receiver. He was a second-round pick in 2024, who caught just 41.8 percent of his targets in his rookie season. He struggled a bit with drops, but mostly was a poor route-runner who could create little to no separation from his defender.
Maybe this was simply a wideout having a rough first year. This is common, and the hope was that Mitchell would improve in year two. He hasn’t. In fact, he might be the sole reason that the Colts have lost any games at all. His two critical (and one bone-headed) mistakes in Week 4 cost Indianapolis the game.
Indianapolis Colts should move on from Adonai Mitchell
He got reps in that game because Alec Pierce had suffered a concussion in Week 3 and couldn’t play. The same situation could have happened in Week 5 as Pierce missed that game, too, but instead, Indianapolis decided to give Ashton Dulin a lot of reps while Mitchell got only six.
Things got worse for Mitchell in Week 6 because he was a healthy scratch. In other words, the second-year player finally got a chance to shine in Week 4, completely failed, and is getting fewer and fewer chances since.
That would imply that Mitchell isn’t doing the right things in practice, either. If he were to show the coaches after his Week 4 meltdown that he was driven to make up for his mistakes, he probably would get more reps. He isn’t.
At this point, if the Indianapolis Colts wanted to cut Adonai Mitchell, the team would save money. His rookie deal was for four years and a maximum of $7,386,086. If Indy released him, the team would save a little over a million dollars.
None of this is to imply Adonai Mitchell is a bad person. The fact is that the NFL is a tough business, and difficult decisions need to be made. A move to another team (and some team would pick Mitchell up) would probably help the receiver do a reset. For the Indianapolis Colts, currently, Mitchell is simply one receiver too many.
