Since Ben Roethlisberger retired, the Pittsburgh Steelers have struggled to find consistency at quarterback. They drafted who they would be his heir apparent in Kenny Pickett, but that didn’t work out. Now, they’ve been cycling through different veterans. Last year, they kicked the tires on Russell Wilson. That produced middling results, leading the Steelers to sign Aaron Rodgers this offseason. While Rodgers looks like he can still play at a decent level, former Steelers center Dermontti Dawson doesn’t necessarily agree with the team’s decision to sign him.
“I’ve said, ‘Why did they choose Aaron?’ Aaron has accomplished everything he can accomplish as a player. He’s gonna be a Pro Football Hall of Famer. He’s got nothing to prove,” Dawson said recently on Hits and Heels’ YouTube channel. “We need to build for the future and get a young quarterback in there.”
Dawson isn’t the only one who holds that opinion. Many people wondered why the Steelers pursued Rodgers. One of the biggest issues with Wilson last season was that he was past his prime. Father Time had caught up to him. Rodgers is even older than Wilson, so it felt like a step in the wrong direction to some.
However, the rest of the Steelers’ offseason makes it clear that they want to be Super Bowl contenders now. They don’t want to rebuild or reload. They haven’t had any postseason success since the 2016 season, which has left them frustrated.
The Steelers feel like Rodgers gives them their best chance to fight for a championship right now. It’s also important to note that he wasn’t their only option at quarterback. They were interested in several different players, including re-signing Justin Fields. However, the way things broke led them to Rodgers.
Additionally, quarterback wasn’t a strength of this year’s draft. The Steelers tried reaching in a weak quarterback class when they drafted Pickett in the first round, and that was a disaster. It might’ve been wiser for them to target Rodgers rather than box themselves into selecting a quarterback high in the draft.
Dawson isn’t the only former Steeler to criticize the team’s decision to sign Rodgers. However, current Steelers have had nothing but good things to say about their quarterback. While he hasn’t played in an actual game yet, it sounds like Rodgers has a chance to help the Steelers be competitive this year.
Yes, his career is coming to a close, but that doesn’t mean Rodgers isn’t motivated. After the past few years, he’s got plenty of doubters. Rodgers likely wants to prove them wrong and end his career on a high note.
