After losing five straight games to close the 2024 season and watching the offense led by quarterback Russell Wilson struggle to do much of anything right, the Pittsburgh Steelers made significant changes at the quarterback position this offseason.
Wilson and backup Justin Fields walked in free agency, and in came 41-year-old former Aaron Rodgers, a four-time NFL MVP and future first-ballot Hall of Famer.
It took longer than many expected as Rodgers didn’t sign with the Steelers until June 5. But once he did, things started to take off in a positive direction for the Steelers. However, NFL.com columnist Jeffri Chadiha believes the addition of Rodgers and betting on him to elevate the Steelers in 2025 is the biggest challenge for the Black and Gold this season.
“There’s no doubt he’s the best option this organization has employed at quarterback since Ben Roethlisberger retired,” Chadiha writes regarding Rodgers. “It’s also fair to wonder if he can find more success in Pittsburgh than he achieved with the Jets over the past two seasons, after he’d arrived as a highly touted savior for that franchise.
“The AFC is filled with Super Bowl contenders, including the reigning AFC North champion Ravens. It will take a lot for Rodgers to elevate this team past the 10 wins it reached in 2024.”
Part of Chadiha’s reasoning that betting on Rodgers is the biggest challenge for the Steelers is because of how long it took him to sign. The lack of participation in offseason team building and learning could hinder Rodgers during the season, Chadiha presumes.
The Steelers aren’t worried about that, though. They believed all along that Rodgers, even at 41 years old, was a plug-and-play quarterback. Getting him signed before mandatory minicamp and getting him on the field, learning the playbook and building chemistry with his pass catchers was huge.
Early in training camp, things are going well, too. Rodgers is taking on a leadership role and has been everything the Steelers were hoping he’d be, at least so far. While he’s had some struggles on the field in the first four days of training camp, throwing a couple of interceptions and missing on some throws, that will all work itself out before the regular season.
Rodgers still has a great release and the arm looks good in camp, too. There’s no real bet there from the Steelers. He has shown that over the years, and he closed the 2024 season strong in New York. The only real question is his ability to stay healthy.
If he can stay healthy, the offensive line can take a step forward and the defense can correct some of the issues that plagued the team down the stretch last season, Pittsburgh should win 10-12 games and be able to get over the hump in the playoffs. It might not take much from Rodgers, either, as the Steelers aren’t putting it all on him.