How good can the Pittsburgh Steelers be this year? That’s the question now that Aaron Rodgers has signed with them. While Rodgers is one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history, he’s been declining over the last few years. Also, the Steelers haven’t met their standard recently. They haven’t won a playoff game in eight years. There’s hope that Rodgers can get them over that hump. However, former NFL quarterback Shaun King thinks anything short of a Super Bowl win isn’t good enough for Rodgers.
“They’re Super Bowl or bust, 100 percent,” King said recently via Sactown Sports 1140’s YouTube channel. “Aaron Rodgers is not Shedeur Sanders. Aaron Rodgers is a first-ballot Hall of Famer, multiple NFL MVP, already has a Super Bowl, to his credit.
“He will tell you, anything that doesn’t result in him hoisting the Lombardi Trophy is going to be a failure. Because he’s playing now for life after football. What is he going to be remembered as? Right now, when they talk about the greatest quarterbacks in the history of the National Football League, Aaron Rodgers’ name isn’t gonna come up.”
Rodgers makes the Steelers better, but it’s still hard to see them as Super Bowl contenders. While their team is talented, they might not be able to beat the AFC’s best. Teams like the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs are likely still on another level.
That doesn’t mean the Steelers’ chances at winning the Super Bowl this year are zero. If they make the playoffs, in the right circumstances, maybe they could make a serious run.
Also, while Rodgers hasn’t helped his legacy in recent years, he’s still one of the best quarterbacks of all time. The present doesn’t change the past. In his prime, Rodgers was arguably the best thrower of the football ever. He’s a four-time league MVP. The only player to win that award more than him is Peyton Manning.
Even if Rodgers doesn’t win a Super Bowl this year, that won’t change. If he puts together a solid season and helps the Steelers win a playoff game, that will probably positively impact his legacy. It isn’t very often that quarterbacks over the age of 40 are still effective.
Tom Brady and Brett Favre are the only quarterbacks to throw for 4,000 yards at age 40 or older. If Rodgers can join them, that would say a lot about how talented he is. He and the Steelers want to win a Super Bowl, but if they don’t, that won’t necessarily make this season a failure. They could still succeed in other ways.
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