It’s Super Bowl Sunday, with the Kansas City Chiefs gunning for the first ever three-peat as they face the Philadelphia Eagles in New Orleans…and Aaron Rodgers is somehow still in the headlines.
Earlier today, it was reported that the New York Jets are preparing to move on from the 41 year-old, future Hall of Fame quarterback. His two years in New York were disastrous. An achilles tear kept him out of the entire 2023 season, and somehow the 2024 team ended up even worse.
With Aaron Rodgers likely gone from the Jets, but still intending to play next season, CBS Sports listed his potential destinations. The Steelers were at the top of the list.
“Pittsburgh was able to go 10-7 and reach the postseason while starting Justin Fields and a less mobile Russell Wilson at quarterback,” wrote CBS Sports’ Garrett Podell. “Some of the Steelers’ woes could be solved simply by acquiring a more capable quarterback. Even though the Jets struggled last season, Rodgers played like a top-10 quarterback. His 28 touchdown passes were tied for the seventh most in the NFL, and his 3,897 yards passing were the eighth-most in the league.
“…Rodgers has also spoken highly of Tomlin, so this partnership could work in a way that it didn’t with New York given the respect the future Hall of Famer has for Pittsburgh’s head coach.”
It’s not surprising that the Steelers are a candidate for a quarterback that would likely be joining the team for a one-year trial, especially since that’s exactly what they did last season with both Russell Wilson and Justin Fields. And Aaron Rodgers has a relationship of mutual respect with Mike Tomlin, evidenced by interactions like this one when the Steelers played the Jets earlier this season.
All that said, Rodgers is 41, coming off a major leg surgery and then a 5-12 season where he started every game. While he was top-10 in some volume stats like yards and touchdowns — prompting Podell to claim he had a top-10 season last year — Rodgers was in reality nowhere near a top-10 quarterback last year. He ranked 25th in the league with a QBR of 48.1 (barely above Daniel Jones and Anthony Richardson). He had a 63 percent completion percentage, very low for Rodgers’ standards.
As far as the eye test goes, Rodgers would lead a crisp, ten-play touchdown drive where he looked like his old self, only to follow it up with four straight three-and-outs where he was missing open receivers left and right.
Combine that with the off-the-field distractions that come with a controversial personality like Rodgers, and it’s not exactly an ideal fit for a Pittsburgh team that needs strong leadership and a clear organizational direction.
Perhaps Rodgers joins up with the team he beat in Super Bowl XLV, with a chance to take that very team to the Promised Land. But I wouldn’t bet on it.
Along with Rodgers, Podell had the Steelers on his short list of possibilities for Davante Adams, who is likely to follow Rodgers out the door. Ian Rapoport noted earlier that the two could look to reunite elsewhere, so I am sure there will at least be some media noise surrounding that possibility over the next month leading up to free agency.
