The news broke Thursday afternoon, and the NFL world lit up immediately: Aaron Rodgers is heading to Pittsburgh. After weeks of speculation, the four-time MVP agreed to a one-year deal with the Steelers, officially ending his short and rocky run in New York.
But while the signing sent some fans racing to buy black-and-gold No. 12 jerseys, not everyone is convinced this is the right move. Steelers insider Mike DeFabo pulled no punches online, writing: “The Steelers promised they wouldn’t do the same thing and expect different results. But here they are, for the third time, betting on the NFL’s highest-paid defense to prop up an aging QB. We’ve seen this movie before with Big Ben & Russell Wilson.”
Rodgers becomes the third straight veteran QB Pittsburgh has brought in since Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement-joining a list that now reads more like a Hall of Fame reunion tour than a long-term strategy. Last year’s combo of Russell Wilson and Justin Fields got the team to the Wild Card round, but left more questions than answers.
A Championship Roster-Without a Championship Plan at QB?
It’s not like the Steelers didn’t load up this offseason. They added wide receiver DK Metcalf in a splashy trade, signed Super Bowl champ Darius Slay to bolster the secondary, and still have defensive stalwarts like T.J. Watt and Cam Heyward leading the charge. According to Robert Griffin III, this all screams Super Bowl or bust.
“The Pittsburgh Steelers have to be Super Bowl contenders with Aaron Rodgers at QB,”RGIII wrote on X. “Every move they’ve made this offseason says they’re ready to win now-like Rodgers is the last piece of the puzzle.”
But Rodgers’ 2024 campaign with the Jets was far from inspiring. A 5-12 finish followed a lost season to an Achilles injury, and New York decided it was time to move on.
That’s what has insiders like DeFabo raising eyebrows. The AFC North is stacked with Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow. still hasn’t drafted or developed a franchise quarterback since Big Ben. And now they’re pinning their hopes on a 41-year-old who hasn’t played a playoff game since 2021.
Rodgers did, of course, beat the Steelers in Super Bowl XLV. The irony now? He might be their only chance to get back there anytime soon.
Whether he still has that kind of magic left-well, that’s the part of the movie nobody knows yet.
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