No one seems to know where Aaron Rodgers will play in 2025. He could even retire. That’s put a wrench in the Pittsburgh Steelers’ plans. They’re left waiting on Rodgers, stuck without a starting quarterback. Rodgers could also choose to sign elsewhere. It seems like the New York Giants are the other team heavily pursuing the veteran quarterback. While the Steelers feel like a better destination for Rodgers, former NFL defensive lineman Chris Long thinks the Giants are a more attractive landing spot.
“No offense to the Steelers, but this is not your typical Steelers team,” Long said Tuesday on his Green Light with Chris Long podcast. “They don’t have a dominant defense unless it becomes a dominant defense over the offseason here.
“The offensive line isn’t anything that you get excited about, although they’ve been working on it. You lose Najee Harris, depending on how you feel about that. [Jaylen] Warren’s your guy. I’d rather be in New York, I think, because of the division you’re in and because of the upside of having that number one wide receiver.”
That’s an interesting perspective from Long. It’s true that the Steelers had a disappointing finish to last season. Their defense looked like a weakness, rather than a strength. However, it was still the Steelers’ backbone for most of last year. That unit should mostly stay intact, so there’s hope it will look elite again.
It also might be premature to say their offensive line isn’t something to get excited about. They’re slated to have up-and-coming starters at four of those five spots. Zach Frazier was great last year, and Mason McCormick performed well too. It’s unclear what Troy Fautanu will look like, but he’s got great pedigree. While Broderick Jones is a huge question mark, he’s still a young player with pedigree as well.
The Giants do have some more exciting pieces on paper, but that’s only because of how terrible they’ve been. For most of the last decade, they’ve been one of the worst teams in the NFL. That’s resulted in them picking high in the draft. That’s why they have a young star receiver like Malike Nabers.
Still, all those high draft picks haven’t translated into wins. In contrast, the Steelers have continued to compete for a playoff spot. Maybe they’ve been stuck in mediocrity, but that’s better than being stuck at rock-bottom.
You could blame the Giants’ lack of success on their ineffective quarterback play. However, it’s not like Rodgers is the same player he once was. He can’t be expected to carry a franchise on his back. With the Steelers, he could lean on some of their other pieces.
It’s not like the NFC East will be easy to win in, either. The Philadelphia Eagles have dealt with a lot of changes, but they still have a ton of young talent. The Washington Commanders look like one of the best ascending teams in the NFL. Winning that division won’t be a cakewalk.
Maybe Rodgers will choose the Giants. There are things to like about their team. However, history says the Giants have more work to do than the Steelers. One team hasn’t had a losing season since 2003. The other has only had five winning seasons in the last 15 years. Neither team will probably be a Super Bowl contender in 2025, but only one of them is consistently fighting for a playoff spot.
