The Pittsburgh Steelers reset once again at the quarterback position by signing QB Aaron Rodgers, and a former Steelers rival thinks it’s a move that will help the team. Appearing on The Herd earlier this week, former New England Patriots WR Julian Edelman said that Rodgers going to Pittsburgh was a good move.
“I think they’re gonna be a solid football team as they always are. I think they’ll be a little better than last year. Do I think they’re gonna win a Super Bowl? No. I love Mike Tomlin, I love the culture, I love the defense, I like Arthur Smith,” Edelman said. “I like the move. It’s the best thing for the Steelers right now.”
Rodgers coming to the Steelers isn’t going to be a cure-all that lifts the team to immediate Super Bowl contention, but it should at least give them a chance to compete. Rodgers comes in as the best quarterback Pittsburgh has had since Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement, and he showed flashes late last season that he’s still got plenty left in the tank.
The Steelers got diminishing returns on Russell Wilson last season after he struggled during the second half of the year. The hope is that Rodgers can steady the ship and provide the Steelers with quarterback play to keep them competitive. There’s always risk when taking on a 41-year-old quarterback, though, and it’s going to be important for him to work with Arthur Smith (as the two have done) and build an offense both are satisfied with.
Given Pittsburgh’s talent on defense and the fact that Mike Tomlin always manages to keep the team in the playoff hunt, it’s not hard to see a scenario where the Steelers wind up being better next season as Edelman believes they will. The offensive line could see a jump with a healthy Troy Fautanu, and if Rodgers is the upgrade the Steelers expect, winning 10 games again or exceeding that total is very much in the cards.
Pittsburgh is likely only going to have Rodgers for one season, as he only signed a one-year deal and announced that 2025 will likely be his last year before retiring. But he’s the best option to give the Steelers a chance to compete and help their defensive core finally experience some playoff success, as well as help break Mike Tomlin and the team’s playoff win drought.
Aaron Rodgers should be a solid fit for the Steelers, and Edelman could be right that Rodgers winds up making the team better than they were in 2024.
