Aaron Rodgers isn’t the same quarterback in 2025 that he was in 2015, or even 2020. In recent years, Rodgers’ abilities have declined, age and injuries taking their toll on him. However, that didn’t stop the Pittsburgh Steelers from pursuing him. Rodgers will be the Steelers’ starting quarterback this year, and they’re hoping that he can turn back the clock. Insider Albert Breer recently shared what other teams think Rodgers has left in the tank.
“Talking to other teams who are evaluating him, they looked at him at the end of the year, the games against the Dolphins, the game against the Jaguars in particular, and they’re saying, ‘He still has a lot of it. There’s not a huge decline in skill here,'” Breer said recently on The Ryen Russillo Podcast.
Those three games came late in the 2024 season, and Rodgers looked more like himself in all of them. In the first Dolphins game, which occurred in Week 14, he completed 27-of-39 passes for 339 yards and one touchdown. The New York Jets lost that game, but Rodgers wasn’t the reason for that.
The Jets played the Jaguars the following week, and Rodgers put up an even better performance. He threw for 289 yards and three touchdowns and added 45 rushing yards. That game looked like a return to form for Rodgers, and it led to victory.
The Jets’ second meeting with the Dolphins was their season finale, and Rodgers once again showed out. He recorded 274 passing yards, four passing touchdowns, and only one interception. In what would become his final game with the Jets, Rodgers left it all on the field, helping them end the season with a win.
If someone only watched those three games last year, they’d probably be more optimistic about Rodgers’ potential with the Steelers. However, the reality is that he didn’t always look like that player in 2024.
A week before playing the Dolphins for a second time, Rodgers faced the Buffalo Bills, and he looked nothing like his old self. He threw for only 112 yards, with zero touchdowns and two interceptions. Against better competition, Rodgers and the Jets got crushed.
However, that doesn’t mean that Rodgers is going to fail with the Steelers. Notice that in Rodgers’ good performances, he does a solid job protecting the football. That would go a long way in the Steelers’ offense. Therefore, they shouldn’t ask Rodgers to carry their offense. If he can limit his turnovers and play like his old self in big moments, then Pittsburgh should be in a good position to win games.
