Among coaches and staff, there are only a few familiar faces on the Pittsburgh Steelers from a year ago. Many of Mike McCarthy’s new hires, and McCarthy himself, are Green Bay transplants who someone like Aaron Rodgers knows well.

But there’s one returning coach who Rodgers is happy the team hung onto. Speaking to reporters this week, Rodgers gave him a shoutout.

“I love the strength staff here,” Rodgers said via the team’s YouTube channel. “Mark. And they kept Justus, who is a big favorite of all the guys in the locker room. It’s a really good training staff.”

Rodgers is referring to Justus Galac, one of the team’s assistant strength and conditioning members. He’s the only returning S&C staffer from 2025’s group, led by Phil Matusz, that was widely panned and received poor NFLPA report card grades from players. Pittsburgh’s 2025 B-minus tied for last in the league.

McCarthy leaned on well-known names to hire replacements. The “Mark” who Rodgers refers to is head S&C coach Mark Lovat, who served the same role for the Green Bay Packers from 2010-18. He was reduced into an assistant role after McCarthy’s 2018 firing before joining the Tennessee Titans in 2024. Along with Abe Munayer and Grant Thorne, the strength and support staff looks mostly different.

Except for Galac. He began his career as an assistant at Dickinson College, a D-III school in central Pennsylvania. He became Villanova’s Director of Strength and Conditioning in 2005, holding the role for years. Galac’s first NFL job came as the New York Jets’ Assistant S&C Coach in 2012 before heading the department in 2013.

Despite three head coach changes, Galac kept his job through 2020. He credits Rex Ryan and Todd Bowles for giving him his NFL chance.

Pittsburgh hired him as an assistant in 2021. He spent one season with the team before returning to the college level at Temple, followed by a stint in the XFL. Galac returned to the Steelers as an assistant in 2024. He’s just one of four coaches/staff members McCarthy retained. Quarterbacks Coach Tom Arth, Inside Linebackers Coach Scott McCurley, and Director of Player Development Darrel Young are the others.

Galac’s impact is made behind the scenes. It’s hard to judge or quantify his work, especially in an assistant capacity. But Rodgers’ comments speak highly of him and seem reflective of the locker room feeling.

Strength and conditioning staff play a key role in how well-prepared players are throughout the offseason to maintaining their strength and shape during the season. Everyone has a role to play, and Rodgers is happy Galac is back for another year.