The Pittsburgh Steelers wrapped up their mandatory minicamp on Thursday, and Aaron Rodgers stole the show (at least as much as you could expect when playing in shorts). The assurance of the veteran quarterback offers new hope for many fans thanks to his Hall of Fame resume. While we couldn't glean much from his brief time on the field, there was one notable takeaway.
Even in his old age, Rodgers has something that the rest of the Steelers' quarterbacks don't possess: a live arm with impressive velocity.
That was evident in watching clips of the quarterbacks side by side in the three days at Steelers minicamp, and it's one of the biggest traits that separates Rodgers from the pack. Though most would rather point out Rodgers' two decades of NFL experience or his ability to command the huddle, don't brush off his arm talent as if it's gone by the wayside. It might not be what it once was, but it's still there.
Aaron Rodgers' live arm is something the Pittsburgh Steelers desperately lacked before his arrival
The Pittsburgh Steelers' 2025 QB room is comprised of four quarterbacks, each in different stages of their careers. Mason Rudolph is a soon-to-be 30-year-old and long-time backup, Skylar Thompson is a 28-year-old with just three career starts, and Will Howard is a 23-year-old rookie yet to take his first NFL snaps.
Rodgers, meanwhile, is 41 years old with a two-decade, Hall of Fame career already under his belt. And yet, somehow, he has the best arm of the group... pretty easily.
To be fair, this is a low bar to clear (by NFL standards, anyway). None of Rudolph, Thompson, or Howard was known for their quick releases or impressive zip on the football. That's just not their game. But with how much older Rodgers is than the other three guys—and we're talking an 11-18 year gap between them—it's impressive to see that he's still got a whip attached to his right arm.
This trait can't be understated. One of the biggest signs that a quarterback is on his last legs is when he no longer possesses the velocity and arm to make all of the NFL throws. We witnessed this with Ben Roethlisberger in his final season in the NFL in 2021.
At 39 years old and two years removed from a major elbow injury, Big Ben's arm was shot. He didn't have the strength to lead Chase Claypool deep down the field in stride or the velocity to drive the ball on sideline passes or corner routes. Because of this, the once big-play machine was forced to dink and dunk the ball down the field en route to averaging just 6.21 yards per attempt over his final two seasons.
While Rodgers (41) is older than Roethlisberger was in his final season, the difference in arm talent is night and day. Rodgers still has it... and that's encouraging.
Now it's about finding out what he can do with the live arm and the velocity he still possesses. Aaron Rodgers doesn't have the mobility he did when he was younger, and we know he's going to come with some quirks, but having an impressive arm is as much as the Pittsburgh Steelers could ask for from any quarterback remotely close to his age.