The Pittsburgh Steelers find themselves at another critical crossroads as a franchise. It seems like they’re one bad season away from blowing everything up, but they could also be one quarterback and playoff win away from finding new life. Retaining either Russell Wilson or Justin Fields seems like the most probable scenario, and with Matthew Stafford officially off the table, there aren’t many appealing options out there at quarterback. There is one guy out there though who’s controversial, maybe a bit too interested in psychedelics, 41 years-old, but still a surefire Hall-of-Famer and one of the greatest to ever throw the football – Aaron Rodgers.
On Friday’s Unsportsmanlike show on ESPN, analyst Kevin Clark said that with Matthew Stafford off the table, Aaron Rodgers is the right choice for Pittsburgh.
“Aaron Rodgers is the best solution for the Steelers,” said Clark. “Aaron Rodgers gets to change his narrative and win. He will win because Justin Fields won last year. Russell Wilson won last year. They weren’t Super Bowl contenders but they won games.
Rodgers is departing the New York Jets after a disastrous two-year run that made the Steelers’ Kenny Pickett years seem like The Greatest Show On Turf. Rodgers remarkably bounced back from an Achilles tear two years ago, and managed a respectable 28 touchdowns to 11 interceptions last season with nearly 4,000 passing yards. But if you payed attention to the NFL at all last year, a few impressive volume-based stats don’t tell the whole story.
The Jets finished 5-12 despite fielding what was supposed to be one of the best rosters in the league. They even brought in Davante Adams — six-time Pro Bowl wide receiver and best friend of Aaron Rodgers — to try and solve their issues. Ultimately, it seems like Rodgers creates more issues than he solves at this point in his career. If 36 year-old Russell Wilson is too old or not the type of personality that other players can rally behind, than what does that make 41 year-old Aaron Rodgers?
Clark might be right that Rodgers joining the Steelers for final ride would be the best choice for Aaron Rodgers. He’d get to play for Mike Tomlin: a coach allergic to losing seasons, and someone who can manage players that carry off-the-field baggage, and a coach that has a shared respect for Rodgers. Yet, Mike Tomlin is in the rockiest position he’s ever been in coaching the Steelers, and he can’t afford a big mistake.
Rodgers and Tomlin have had iconic interactions over the years in their head-to-head matchups. And who can forget that Rodgers only Super Bowl win came against Mike Tomlin and the Pittsburgh Steelers back in 2011. But that was fourteen years ago, and times have changed for both guys.
It’s hard to imagine that Rodgers has what it takes to bring the Steelers their first playoff win in nine years in an AFC that’s loaded with elite quarterbacks. He’d certainly bring lots of media attention, primetime games, and jersey sales to Pittsburgh. But a Lombardi trophy? Let alone a quality offense and a playoff win? I don’t think so.
