From one future Hall of Famer to the next, Ben Roethlisberger is high on the prospects of Aaron Rodgers leading his former team in 2025. While Rodgers continues to drag his feet on a decision, all signs indicate that he will eventually sign with the team. To Roethlisberger, that will completely transform the Steelers.
“If Aaron comes in here, the team just gets this much better,” Roethlisberger said while lifting his hand high in the air via his Footbahlin podcast on YouTube. “I mean, you get a Hall of Famer in here, it’s this much better. The offense all of a sudden becomes a different team…That’s Aaron Rodgers. I mean, that’s a different animal. You can say what you want, he can’t move quite like he used to, this and the other. You know what still works? His arm and his brain.
“I think that’s something that instantly makes this team, offensively, something to think about when you’ve got the weapons and that dude.”
No offense to Russell Wilson, who is a potential future Hall of Famer in his own right, but Rodgers is a four-time MVP and is a lock to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. Even this version of Rodgers would be the best quarterback play this team has had since before Roethlisberger’s elbow injury in 2019. And it isn’t particularly close.
Coincidentally, this is also likely to be the best supporting cast on offense since that same time. The receiving corps is definitely at its best point in years after the trade to acquire DK Metcalf, and the offensive line is young and talented with all the potential in the world to have a strong 2025.
Roethlisberger thinks the throwing session between Rodgers and Metcalf this past weekend is a pretty good indication that he will eventually sign with the Steelers. However, he does wonder why he wouldn’t have signed already. Like many of us, Roethlisberger thinks the holdup could be related to the Minnesota Vikings.
“The reason, in my opinion, that he hasn’t signed yet…I think Aaron is secretly still holding out for Minnesota,” Roethlisberger theorized. “Why else would you not? Why else would you go throw with DK and be working out and put it out?”
The Vikings would probably give him a better chance to compete deep into the playoffs, but they have decided to move forward with J.J. McCarthy while leaving the door slightly cracked for Rodgers in the event their second-year quarterback doesn’t look ready after his injury.
“I just think he thinks that Minnesota is a more complete, closer team to win a Super Bowl, and he might not be wrong,” Roethlisberger said.
Art Rooney II made it clear this morning that they won’t wait for Rodgers forever. If he decides to hold out for the Vikings well into OTAs, the Steelers may just decide to move on with Mason Rudolph. Would Rodgers really take that type of gamble and risk being left with no team?
Between the throwing session with Metcalf and the positive meeting with decision-makers in Pittsburgh, it sure seems like Rodgers will soon be making another trip to Pittsburgh to sign across the dotted line.
