The Pittsburgh Steelers are still awaiting a decision from 41-year-old Aaron Rodgers, though things seem closer and a closer to him becoming their starting quarterback for the 2025 season.
In that 2025 season with Rodgers at quarterback, one former NFL defensive back believes the Steelers will win a playoff game for the first time since 2016.
Appearing on ESPN Radio’s Unsportsmanlike Thursday morning, former New England Patriots defensive back Jason McCourty stated that the Steelers will be a good deal better than they were last season because Rodgers will be better than any quarterback they’ve had in the last five years.
“You think about the last few years, they haven’t been able to win a playoff game. I think they can win a playoff game with Aaron Rodgers as their quarterback playing in a divisional round of the playoffs,” McCourty said, according to audio via ESPN Radio. “I think you look at what he did last year, and I think his body of work, even with the New York Jets a year ago, was better than any of the quarterbacks that the Pittsburgh Steelers have had in recent years.
“In any of those seasons where they’ve made the playoffs, whether that was Mason Rudolph or Mitch Trubisky, Kenny Pickett, Big Ben [Roethlisberger] at the last latter part of his career. So, I think when you look at Rodgers’ decision making, he got better at the end of last season. I think if he’s there under center, it makes them a playoff-win team.”
Though Rodgers was at the helm of a 5-12 New York Jets team in 2024, he played some good football down the stretch and showed he still has plenty of juice left in his arm.
In his final five games of the season, Rodgers had a passer rating of 98.3, threw for 1,270 yards, nine touchdowns and three interceptions. That included one game of 339 passing yards against the Miami Dolphins and then a four-touchdown game in Week 18 to close out his Jets tenure.
On the season, Rodgers threw for 3,897 yards, 28 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. That included a two-interception game against the Steelers in Week 7 at Acrisure Stadium.
Based on those numbers and some of the plays he made, though, he still has something left in the tank.
That’s what the Steelers are seemingly banking on.
While his mobility has declined due to his age and the torn Achilles he suffered four snaps into the 2023 season, he still remains a great processor and decision-maker and still throws a great deep ball. It’s a fit in the Steelers’ scheme, and should the offensive line take a step forward in 2025 and the two big-name receivers in DK Metcalf and George Pickens live up to the hype, the Steelers should be better offensively than they were in 2024.
That could lead to a win in the playoffs, assuming health and the stability the Steelers’ organization seemingly has year after year. But even then, a playoff win won’t be good enough for a franchise that has Super Bowl aspirations year after year.
