The Steelers Take a One-Year Gamble on Aaron Rodgers. Will it Work?

Adding a four-time MVP in Aaron Rodgers will be a good thing for the Steelers...right?

Terry Bradshaw, Kordell Stewart, Ben Roethlisberger…Aaron Rodgers? After months of speculation about whether Rodgers would become the Steelers’ next quarterback, he signed a one-year deal with the team on June 5th and made it official. The decision felt less like a shocking twist and more like a Scooby-Doo episode – predictable from the start. Just as the shady bellhop lurking around the haunted hotel always turns out to be the villain, the Steelers finally pulled the mask off their quarterback and revealed their new starter: a 41-year-old, four-time MVP with a rocket arm, complicated legacy, and a knack for staying in the headlines.

"No thanks" - Minnesota Vikings

In a bid to stick to the Favre-esque script that he’s mirrored until now, Rodgers angled for a move to the Minnesota Vikings this offseason. Fresh off a 14-3 campaign, Minnesota looked like a contender in need of a veteran QB to put them over the hump that Sam Darnold tripped over. However, after they committed to developing their 2024 first-round pick, JJ McCarthy, and all other options dried up, Rodgers reluctantly signed with the less desirable Steelers – a franchise in transition, not contention.

Despite competing in a loaded AFC North consisting of powerhouse teams like the Ravens and Bengals, the Steelers surprised everyone (especially Scooby Doo viewers) by keeping their streak alive and clinching a playoff berth last year. 2024 marked the team’s fourth consecutive playoff appearance, and more frustratingly, sixth straight playoff loss. With a tough-nosed defense headed by T.J. Watt, Minkah Fitzpatrick, and Cameron Heyward, the Steelers clawed their way to the postseason on the backs of their defense, despite erratic quarterback play from their unlikely duo. Justin Fields displayed brief flashes of his athletic potential, while Russell Wilson simply couldn’t find his groove.

Today's Aaron Rodgers

All that sets the table for a team in dire need of a steady presence at QB and a veteran quarterback hoping for one last chance to raise the Lombardi Trophy before riding off into an ayahuasca-laden sunset. On the surface, Rodgers’s stats from last year look solid: 3,897 yards, 28 touchdowns, 11 interceptions. A deeper dive, however, shows that his regression is well underway. Last year, Rodgers finished 25th in QBR and passing success rate, while posting career-worst marks in both the volume and accuracy of deep throws. Even though he played behind an abysmal offensive line, it’s clear that Rodgers’s physical tools are losing their edge. Sure, he usually knows who he should throw to, it’s just a matter of how he’s going to get the ball there that’s the issue.

Only Way is Up

Any improvement to the Steelers’ passing attack will be welcomed with open arms, as it’s been just like the towels their fans wave – TERRIBLE. Since the start of the 2022 season, Pittsburgh ranks dead last in passing touchdowns with just 46. They’ve also hovered near the bottom of the league in nearly every meaningful passing metric: success rate, yards-per-attempt, and first downs generated through the air. While the Steelers have strung together a mind-boggling 21 straight winning seasons, they’ve done so lately by winning "ugly" and don’t have a formula for sustained success with a suspect offense at the helm.

While Pittsburgh’s coach, Mike Tomlin, is the longest-tenured head coach in the league, with 18 years and counting running the show, the same can’t be said for their quarterbacks. Since Big Ben Roethlisberger retired in 2022, the Steelers have manned five different mediocre starting quarterbacks and are still looking for an answer.

Enter Aaron Rodgers.

The Right Environment?

The Steelers shipped out mercurial wide-out George Pickens and made a splash in the offseason by trading for the freakishly talented DK Metcalf. With a bona fide stud at WR, and an offensive line that’s been fortified through recent drafts, Rodgers gets a chance to rewrite a better ending to his last chapter in the NFL than what was crafted for him with the Jets.

This pairing could be a massive redemption story for both parties, or it could flame out entirely and become Rodgers’s “Shaq on the Celtics” season. Whatever happens, there is no doubt it will be entertaining. The drama kicks off on September 7th as the Steelers head to MetLife Stadium to take on - who else? – the New York Jets.

The Steelers have a new QB?

Rodger that.

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