The Aaron Rodgers saga for the Pittsburgh Steelers has been draining for many fans. For months, there have been rumors that Rodgers will join the Steelers. However, no deal has been done yet, and it’s unclear if Rodgers will return to football. That uncertainty, mixed with Rodgers’ unique personality, has made some fans not want to see him join the Steelers. However, Chris Simms has a message for fans.
“As I tell all the Steelers fans who come up to me and go, ‘Do I want him?'” Simms said Wednesday on his podcast, Chris Simms Unbuttoned. “I go, ‘Yes, you want him.’ You’re not going anywhere with Mason Rudolph.
“I got mad respect for Mason Rudolph and how he’s handled himself and his career. But maybe you’ll get to the playoffs and lose in the first round. You get Aaron Rodgers, you’ve got potential to make some moves, make some waves in the playoffs. That’s where you should want him as a Steelers fan.”
Simms is probably correct that the Steelers aren’t going very far with Rudolph as their starter. While he’s not the worst option under center, Pittsburgh’s ceiling isn’t very high with him. It’s unlikely that they’d be able to win a playoff game with Rudolph starting, let alone compete for a Super Bowl.
While Rodgers isn’t the same player that he once was, he didn’t look terrible last year. Towards the end of the 2024 season, Rodgers played more like his old self. With him, the Steelers would have a better chance of making noise in the postseason.
Simms agrees, holding a very high opinion of the player Rodgers still is.
“Let’s not get it messed up. My man can still throw the ball with the best of them. It’s still a top-10 arm in the NFL, maybe even higher than that. His release is still as quick as it gets in the league. His ability to pinpoint short-to-intermediate throws is still as good as anybody in football. And off of weird platforms, not being protected all that well with the New York Jets.”
In his prime, Rodgers had one of the greatest arms in the history of the NFL. He could make virtually any throw, even ones that seemed impossible. Time and injuries have robbed him of a lot of his abilities, but his arm is still strong.
While Rodgers might have some gas left in the tank, it’s important to note that he’s not as good as he once was. Much of his athleticism is gone, so he can’t move as well as he used to. That limits him in some ways. It also will likely put more stress on the Steelers’ offensive line if Pittsburgh signs Rodgers.
However, if the Steelers can protect Rodgers, he could give them their best quarterback since Ben Roethlisberger. They probably still wouldn’t be Super Bowl contenders, but they could better compete with some of the top competition in the AFC.
Rodgers comes with a lot of baggage. He’s a controversial figure, and signing him has the potential to blow up in Pittsburgh’s face. However, at this point, they don’t have many better options.
The rest of the free agent quarterback market basically doesn’t exist. They could target Kirk Cousins, but that process might be too complicated. Some fans might not like it, but Rodgers gives the Steelers their best chance at winning a postseason game. They have to actually sign him first, though. There’s still no telling if that will happen.
