The Pittsburgh Steelers have high expectations for themselves this season. While Mike Tomlin is gone, they still want to compete for a Super Bowl. However, much of that may hinge on how well their young offensive line protects Aaron Rodgers.

The 42-year-old QB’s arm is still strong, but much of his athleticism is gone.

“Aaron Rodgers was playing a different game [in 2025],” analyst Mike Renner said Wednesday on his Pushing the Pile podcast. “He knew that they could not pass protect. The stat that I think shows this the best is that they allowed the lowest pressure rate in the entire NFL in obvious passing situations last year. But they also allowed one of the higher sack rates in those situations because it was just so gimmicky.

“Aaron Rodgers was getting the ball out of his hands immediately, but if he had to drop back, they were in trouble. Now, maybe that changes with Broderick Jones out of the lineup. We’ll see. But I still have big question marks about whether this offensive line can really hold up in pass protection to let Aaron Rodgers not play this gimmicky brand of football that we saw last season.”

The Steelers’ offensive line sputtered early, with Rodgers getting sacked seven times in Pittsburgh’s first two games. It looked like it was going to be a long season for the four-time NFL MVP.

However, that unit improved as the year went on. Rodgers was only sacked 29 total times in 2025, the lowest number for him in a healthy season since 2020.

The Steelers’ offensive line has a lot of young players. Last season was only the second year for Zach Frazier, Troy Fautanu, and Mason McCormick. Fautanu missed most of his rookie season due to injury, too, so 2025 was his first full season of NFL action.

That inexperience may have been an issue early, but that group jelled as the year went on. That was with Broderick Jones going down and Dylan Cook getting his first crack at starting in the NFL. All things considered, last year could’ve been much worse for the Steelers’ offensive line.

It’s fair to still have question marks about that unit, though. Veteran guard Isaac Seumalo is gone, and Jones is still working his way back from a neck injury. It’s still unclear who will replace them.

The Steelers’ options aren’t too bad, though. Spencer Anderson, Brock Hoffman, and rookie Gennings Dunker should compete for the starting guard spot opposite McCormick. Meanwhile, Cook and 2026 first-round pick Max Iheanachor will battle to be the team’s other starting tackle.

Could the Steelers’ offensive line still need a year to completely take shape? Maybe, but it could also take that leap this year. Frazier, Fautanu, and McCormick should help stabilize it. New offensive line coach James Campen could make a huge difference, too. Renner’s questions are fair, but the Steelers’ offensive line might have the right answers this season.