For every bit of offseason drama that Aaron Rodgers has caused in Pittsburgh over the past few months, he has always been their best chance at success in 2025. According to Ian O’Connor, who wrote a biography on Rodgers titled Out of the Darkness: The Mystery of Aaron Rodgers, his potential marriage with the Pittsburgh Steelers has every chance of being a smashing success.
“I think it has a chance anyway to be a great marriage and a great place for him to finish his career,” O’Connor said via 93.7 The Fan’s The PM Team on Friday.
Other than Rodgers’ teammates, coaches and family, O’Connor probably understands more than anyone what makes Rodgers tick. While Rodgers’ appearance on The Pat McAfee Show and his general indecision might make it seem like he is mentally checked out from football, O’Connor doesn’t believe that to be the truth.
He was asked how much football still matters to Rodgers.
“I think a lot,” he said. “Pittsburgh is actually the perfect place for him to finish his career. He needs to get back to being a football player. He fell in love with this game a long time ago, and he entered the league really as a football player, as a football nut. He loves to study the game and talk it.”
Guess who has also been described in a similar manner? Both Mike Tomlin and Arthur Smith of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Tomlin is the first guy in the building every morning and loves grinding tape and talking about football with anybody who will listen. Smith stayed late after practice on many occasions to game plan with QB Russell Wilson and attempt to get on the same page.
If Rodgers still has that spark in him, he will find that Pittsburgh is the right place to be in terms of football philosophy.
As a 41-year-old future Hall of Famer, where might that spark come from? Look no further than the massively disappointing two-year stint with the New York Jets.
“He knows it was an embarrassment in New York largely, and he’s the face of that embarrassment. Whether that’s fair or not, that’s the case,” O’Connor said. “It may be me as an optimist, but I think this is gonna work out. Do I think the Steelers will win the Super Bowl next year? No. But if you told me 11-6 with at least one playoff victory…I think that’s realistic.”
As tough as it is for long-term fans of the Steelers to hear, 11-6 and a playoff victory would be moving in a positive direction for this franchise. They must get the monkey off their back of an eight-year playoff win drought.
The first step is actually signing his contract and reporting to the team for OTAs or mandatory minicamp. According to O’Connor, he thinks the personal issues are nearly resolved and the contract will come very soon.
Most fans already seem sick of Rodgers, but that could turn around rather quickly if he brings even slightly above average quarterback play to Pittsburgh for the first time in almost seven years. One year further removed from an Achilles injury and with the relative stability of the Steelers franchise, Rodgers has every chance of making that happen.
