The Pittsburgh Steelers officially signed Aaron Rodgers for the 2025 NFL season. His addition leaves many fans wondering what could possibly go wrong with that scenario.
There was a day when many Steelers fans would have been thrilled to have Aaron Rodgers as the starting quarterback. However, we had our own quarterback at that time, Ben Roethlisberger.
Now, with Big Ben long since retired, the Steelers have struggled to find a long-term replacement. They experimented with Kenny Pickett, and it turned out to be a dismal failure. They hoped to find some success with Mitch Trubisky, but ultimately, nothing materialized. Then the Steelers tested their fortunes with Justin Fields and Russell Wilson, only to fail miserably at the end.
Somehow, now Mike Tomlin sees Aaron Rodgers as a potential savior, yet instinctively, we all know how this ends; yet, Steelers fans will have to endure this potential travesty. So much for winning a Lombardi Trophy in 2025.
How signing Aaron Rodgers could go sideways for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2025
If not for the fact that Tom Brady won a Super Bowl with Tampa Bay after leaving New England, it's doubtful the Steelers signed Aaron Rodgers. It is something the Steelers have not done historically. Yet here we are in 2025.
Murphy's Law states that anything that can go wrong will go wrong. The Steelers now have a quarterback older than Russell Wilson, and fans belly-ached about his age. He is a quarterback with a suspect Achilles tendon. His age increases the chances of further injuries, keeping him off the field.
If there is a silver lining, it is that Arthur Smith is a run-first offensive coordinator. If Rodgers's presence allows the Steelers to do that, then it could take some pressure off Rodgers and prevent potential injuries.
Of course, Rodgers will have to throw the ball on occasion. The decision to trade George Pickens leaves the Steelers with DK Metcalf and Pat Freiermuth. Robert Woods is so far past his prime that it's hard to see him bringing anything to the table at this point. Perhaps Calvin Austin will have some success with Aaron Rodgers, but time will tell. The Steelers tend to underutilize him and his speed.
The Steelers have discussed signing another wide receiver; however, the only real possibility at this point is trading for Allen Lazard. Not that Lazard is a good wide receiver, but Aaron Rodgers has chemistry with him. Would he transform the Steelers' offense for Rodgers? It's doubtful. The only real unknown is whether Roman Wilson can improve upon his rookie year, and considering his rookie year was a disaster, any productivity would be an improvement.
The underlying point is that by signing Rodgers, the Steelers find themselves in a precarious position, lacking the needed weapons to help make him successful. Which, honestly, is similar to the same problem Russell Wilson had, at least down the stretch. It's hard to envision the Steelers having a 22nd consecutive winning season.
If Russell Wilson couldn't get Tomlin that elusive playoff win, it's unlikely Rodgers will. Yet, Steelers ownership is willing to go along. At least if Rodgers isn't getting Terry Bradshaw's old number. Bradshaw voiced his opinion about sharing No. 12 with colorful commentary for Rodgers beyond 'go chew bark' and stay in California. Rodgers is currently wearing No. 8—the number he wore for the New York Jets.
One additional factor to consider is why no one else wanted Aaron Rodgers. According to Colin Cowherd, he comes off as weird, which is why no one else wanted him. The Rams had a chance at him if they wanted, but perhaps for less money than the Steelers offered, yet Sean McVay said no. The Vikings could have signed him, which would have given J.J. McCarthy some additional time to recover and learn. However, they said no dice.
Aaron Rodgers was just a fallback plan for the Pittsburgh Steelers
Even the Pittsburgh Steelers were not sold on Aaron Rodgers, as he was their third choice. Apparently, they wanted either Justin Fields or Matt Stafford over Rodgers. A Matt Stafford trade was never going to happen, especially if Sean McVay didn't want Rodgers.
What's peculiar is that if the Steelers wanted Fields, why couldn't they make that happen? Keeping Fields would have made a lot more sense than signing Rodgers, yet it appears they didn't really try to keep Fields.
So they roll with a quarterback no one else wanted. It seems like a surefire recipe for success.
The reality of the Steelers' situation is that, given Aaron Rodgers's history, could he pay dividends for the Steelers? Sure, it's possible, but what's the realistic likelihood of that happening? It didn't occur with Russell Wilson, Justin Fields, or Mitch Trubisky. The more realistic scenario is that if the Steelers make the playoffs, it's by sheer luck, and if you do, don't hold your breath; they win a playoff game, which will leave Art Rooney III in a sticky dilemma at the end of the season.