For Aaron Rodgers, the 2024 season was a tale of two different stories. There were times he looked flat out bad, but there were other times in which he slung the ball all over the field and looked like his old self. As a member of the Miami Dolphins last year, Terron Armstead played Rodgers twice. He explained the sharp difference he saw from Rodgers in those two games.
“The first time we played them when I was in Miami, he didn’t look good,” Armstead said on ESPN’s Unsportsmanlike on Friday. “He did not. He looked like, just a guy. And I’m being completely honest. Then we played him the last game of the season, and he was Aaron Rodgers. He was extending plays, making plays. He was seeing things before it happened… He was going crazy.”
Both matchups between the Jets and Dolphins took place in the second half of the year, but Armstead is echoing a statement uttered by many, that Rodgers improved a ton over the course of last season. The beginning was ugly, with the Jets going on a lengthy losing streak despite starting the year 2-1. During that time, Rodgers looked stiff, as one would imagine a 40-year-old quarterback with a recent Achilles injury would.
Sometimes, you just have to get comfortable. That was the case for Aaron Rodgers, who played significantly better during the final 10 games of the season. During that stretch, Rodgers threw 18 touchdowns and just four interceptions. He had a passer rating over 100 in six of those games.
That’s the caliber of play the Steelers are hoping to get from Rodgers. But his style of play is most important. Armstead mentions Rodgers being able to extend plays, but in reality, that’s not going to be something he can do often. He did move around much better, but the Steelers won’t count on him extending plays with his legs, and they probably don’t even want him to try. He does have to make it through a 17-game slate, after all.
His arm talent is still there, though. And in New York, we saw him reluctant to take hits, which again makes sense for his age. The Steelers are giving him a downfield threat in DK Metcalf, but he’s got plenty of underneath options as well. Jonnu Smith, who can play anywhere on the field, is an excellent short-game threat with his ability to rack up yards after the catch. Although they have downfield speed, both Calvin Austin III and Roman Wilson will see action in underneath routes, as well.
Whether Aaron Rodgers can bring the Steelers a playoff win or not, we’ll just have to see. But Armstead does provide some reasoning as to why the Steelers were so patient with him this offseason.
