New series to finish out the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 2025 offseason. Inspired by a discussion Dave Bryan had on a recent episode of the Terrible Podcast, we’ll judge the current roster and determine if it’s better, worse, or the same than the start of the 2024 season. We’ll do so by position group, starting with the Steelers’ quarterbacks.
Be sure to share your thoughts below.
Steelers 2024 Group: Russell Wilson, Justin Fields, Kyle Allen
Steelers 2025 Group: Aaron Rodgers, Mason Rudolph, Will Howard/Skylar Thompson
Steelers 2025 Quarterbacks – Better
Better. But I’m not saying that with a high degree of confidence. As a pure starter, Rodgers is a more talented passer than anyone Pittsburgh rostered last season. But he’s also 41 with a game in decline. He must have a clean pocket to play to his abilities, not offering the off-script moments the Steelers received a year ago.
Some of that will be beneficial, an offense that plays within structure and gets the ball where it needs to go. But the NFL’s most successful offenses can create beyond the play’s intent, and largely, the Steelers won’t have that with Rodgers, even knowing he’s two years removed from his Achilles’ tear.
Pittsburgh is also losing the run element Justin Fields brought. As a starter and briefly as a backup, his legs got the Steelers out of lots of trouble. He rushed for five scores before being replaced by Russell Wilson in Week Seven. In total, Pittsburgh’s quarterbacks were responsible for 28 touchdowns in 2024 (21 passing, seven rushing). That’s a respectable number. Teams also had to prepare for Fields, a potential advantage, though the Steelers themselves struggled with striking the right balance of how and when to deploy Fields off the bench.
But overall, the Steelers have what matters most. A better quarterback. A point guard of the football, able to distribute to his playmakers. Rodgers throws to more varied levels of the field and can counter Arthur Smith’s biggest weakness – his desire to get everyone involved. That has value, but has also come at the cost of not getting the football to his No. 1 targets. Rodgers can and will do that.
Pittsburgh also achieved one stated offseason goal of having a quarterback room with the same skillset. Art Rooney II cited the mix/match of Wilson and Fields creating strain as the Steelers bounced between options. This year, Rodgers, Rudolph, and Howard are all primary pocket passers, even if they bring their own specific traits.
Rodgers will need to be protected. He must be on the same page as his offensive coordinator. He must learn to play a supporting role for the first time in his career, one that still leads with the run game and defense. But in a vacuum, Rodgers is better. Rudolph is a top-flight No. 2. And Howard is an intriguing No. 3 who should soak up plenty of summer reps before taking a backseat role come September. That makes the room better, even if it doesn’t answer all the short-term questions, and definitely none of the long-term ones.
