With the New York Jets officially moving on from Aaron Rodgers, rumors are flying about where the former MVP will end up. The Pittsburgh Steelers are a popular pick in the media, although some fans might not love the idea. While Rodgers is one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history, he’s not the same player anymore. Former Steelers linebacker Stevenson Sylvester is vehemently against the idea of Rodgers going to Pittsburgh.
“I think the Steelers would be better off getting Kirk Cousins than Aaron Rodgers,” Sylvester said recently on KSL Sports’ YouTube channel. “Do not get Aaron Rodgers. He’s a great player, he’s teetering off into this, but there’s just too much that goes on with him that leads to distractions within in the locker room.
“And then you’re not playing as a cohesive team. I don’t think he’s a real team player this late part in his career. He’s more looking out for his individual self, and that will never, ever work out, especially in Pittsburgh.”
Sylvester isn’t the only one who holds that opinion. DeShon Elliott made it clear he doesn’t want Rodgers on his team. Five years ago, the Steelers would’ve killed to acquire Rodgers. However, at this point, he’s just not worth the headache.
Rodgers is one of the most decorated quarterbacks in NFL history, but over the last few years, drama has followed him everywhere he goes. His time with the New York Jets really illustrated that. Last year, there were multiple instances of Rodgers causing issues that made the Jets seem dysfunctional.
It also seems like Sylvester is correct that Rodgers isn’t interested in leading younger players at this point in his career. Reports have said that Rodgers wasn’t totally willing to be a mentor with the Jets. There’s nothing saying he has to do that, but the Steelers need a player who is willing to lead their young offense. If those reports are true, then Rodgers’ goals don’t necessarily align with what the Steelers want.
Whether Cousins is a better option than Rodgers is up for debate. Both players tore their Achilles in 2023 and didn’t look the same in 2024. While Rodgers looks like he has more left in the tank, Cousins brings far less drama. Given his reasoning, it makes sense why Sylvester would prefer Cousins over Rodgers.
However, acquiring Cousins might be a little harder. He signed a massive deal with the Atlanta Falcons last offseason. While it seems like they’re ready to move on from him, the money he’s due will still likely be a problem. The Steelers would also have to part with draft capital to get Cousins unless the Falcons release him. He might be a better option than Rodgers, but he’s still not an ideal option for the Steelers.
It feels like Cousins and Rodgers would be emergency options for the Steelers. They’re probably going to attempt to bring back Russell Wilson or Justin Fields. Maybe they’ll consider other veteran options if both those players sign elsewhere. If it gets to that point, hopefully they feel the same way as Sylvester. The Steelers deal with enough drama already.
