While he hasn’t officially signed yet, the expectation is that Aaron Rodgers will be the starting quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers for the 2025 season. However, with every passing day, that seems increasingly unlikely. Still, the belief among NFL circles is that Rodgers will eventually sign with Pittsburgh on a one-year deal to be their next quarterback.
That move will have rippling effects throughout the entire roster, as the Steelers will want to surround him with players who can succeed. And while that’s a good plan, it could mean that a few players could see fewer snaps with Rodgers under center.
Pittsburgh Steelers rookie RB Kaleb Johnson could have massive season without Aaron Rodgers
One such player is Kaleb Johnson, the third-round running back from Iowa. While it would sure seem like Johnson would be able to get onto the field regardless of who is at quarterback, don’t assume that’ll be the case.
In a recent article by Max Chadwick of Pro Football Focus, he wrote about every team’s biggest strength and weakness coming into the 2025 season. He also wrote about one rookie to watch for each team, and for the Steelers, that was none other than Johnson. Here is what Chadwick had to say about Johnson going into the year:
"With Najee Harris signing with the Chargers, Kaleb Johnson projects as the Steelers' starting running back from Day 1. The third-round pick enjoyed a massive breakout at Iowa in 2024, placing fifth in the nation with 1,060 yards after contact. And while Pittsburgh struggled to protect the quarterback last year, the team managed to rank ninth in PFF run-blocking grade. If Aaron Rodgers doesn’t sign with the Steelers, Johnson should receive a ton of touches in his rookie year."Max Chadwick, Pro Football Focus
It's easy to see a path for Johnson to have a fantastic rookie season if Mason Rudolph is under center. The Steelers will want to run the ball, rely on their defense, and play Mike Tomlin football. Johnson is a perfect fit in Arthur Smith’s offense, and he’s at his best in a wide-zone, under-center offense, where he can build up speed and make one cut downhill and go.
However, if Rodgers is the quarterback, we should expect a different philosophy. Due to Rodgers' age, he doesn’t like to be under center as often, and that makes it harder to run wide-zone concepts. Plus, Rodgers likes to throw the football, as he finished second in passing attempts during the 2024 season (584). Regardless of Mike Tomlin’s desires, you can bet Pittsburgh will be much more pass-happy if Rodgers is on the team versus Rudolph starting.
Another issue for Johnson regarding whether Rodgers is in Pittsburgh is that they will likely want to use more of Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell since they are better receivers and more proven blockers. That could really limit the number of snaps Johnson gets in the offense, and he could be a non-factor in passing situations.
It’s not hard to see Johnson having a strong rookie season and eclipsing 1,000 rushing yards with Arthur Smith. But doing so with Aaron Rodgers is going to be much more difficult for all of the reasons listed above. Time will tell how the two players gel together in Pittsburgh this season.