The wait for Aaron Rodgers is finally about to end. He’s reportedly set to sign with the Pittsburgh Steelers soon and then join them for mandatory minicamp. The Steelers have been flirting with Rodgers for months, but no deal had been struck. Rodgers was dealing with personal issues, and he didn’t seem committed to continuing to play football. Now, he’s scheduled to be a Steeler. That seems like a good thing, but former Steelers safety Ryan Clark seems to think this move hurts more than it helps Pittsburgh.
“This is the worst-case scenario for Pittsburgh Steelers fans,” Clark said Thursday on SportsCenter. “It continues to keep you mired in mediocrity. Will this team be better? Have they gotten better in the quarterback room? Absolutely. Will they contend for that championship that Pittsburgh Steelers people and fans and organization think is the standard? No, they won’t.”
That’s a harsh reaction from Clark. The Steelers could be in a much worse position. Yes, Rodgers probably doesn’t make the Steelers a Super Bowl contender. However, he gets them closer to that goal than they were before they had him. They’re a better team with him.
Mike Tomlin’s Steelers don’t seem keen on losing games. They aren’t going to tank to find their next franchise quarterback. This offseason, they loaded up on draft picks for 2026, putting them in a position to trade up to get the quarterback they want. That means they can still try to compete in the playoffs this year.
If Mason Rudolph was their starting quarterback, the Steelers were probably going to fight tooth and nail to have a winning season. They’ve managed to do that in the past with below-average quarterback play.
While Rodgers is a controversial figure, he still looks like a good quarterback. Waiting for him might have been annoying, but he gives the Steelers a chance to rise out of the mediocrity they’ve been stuck in. Winning a playoff game would be a step in the right direction for the Steelers.
Clark has high expectations for the Steelers, and that’s understandable. He won a Super Bowl with them, so he knows what the standard is. However, he doesn’t seem to believe in them with Rodgers as their quarterback.
“They’ll be fighting for a wild-card spot. They’ll probably be home Week 1 of the playoffs and again, be looking for a franchise quarterback,” Clark said. “If you told me you’re gonna pair one of this era’s greatest coaches with one of this era’s greatest quarterbacks, I’d expect greatness. That is not what we’ll get. Maybe six years ago, but not now.”
The Steelers having Rodgers in his prime would’ve been wonderful. However, Clark is correct that he’s not that same player. That doesn’t mean he can’t still play well. Rodgers looked more like himself down the stretch last year. If he can continue that in Pittsburgh, the Steelers could make some noise in the playoffs.
This move is Tomlin and the front office doing what they can to be competitive this year. No, they’re not Super Bowl favorites. However, consider their roster. T.J. Watt has never won a playoff game. Cam Heyward is probably getting close to the end of his career. It’s important to Tomlin to give those players a chance to compete. In that sense, they could be much worse off than they are now.
