Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers often find themselves in conversations comparing the two quarterbacks. While Brady has won seven Super Bowls to Rodgers’ one, there are still pundits who would choose Rodgers over Brady.
But former New England Patriots wide receiver — and Brady’s go-to target — Julian Edelman believes how the two handled their final NFL season is what separates them.
“You can’t even put those guys in the same sentence, because we didn’t know it was Tom Brady’s last year,” Edelman said during a recent appearance on “The Herd With Colin Cowherd.” “When it was (Brady’s) last year, he didn’t want the distraction of that. He wanted to go out and play his best possible football that he could play the last year of his career without making it a distraction. Now, we know it’s (Rodgers’) last year — we’ve heard that before.”
Rodgers recently told “The Pat McAfee Show” that the 2025 season was likely his last and that’s why he signed a one-year deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
“This was really about finishing with a lot of love and fun and peace for the career that I’ve had. I’ve played 20 freaking years,” Rodgers said. “It’s been a long run and I’ve enjoyed it.
“What better place to finish than in one of the cornerstone franchises of the NFL?”
Brady, meanwhile, retired in 2022 for 40 days before he declared he was going to return for the 2023 season. Though many assumed it would be Brady’s last year, he never confirmed it until February 2023 — after the season was finished.
Rodgers, who turns 42 in December, joins Pittsburgh after two failed seasons with the New York Jets, though his first season was lost due to a torn Achilles he suffered in Week 1. Now Rodgers gets a fresh start with a team that has had success under coach Mike Tomlin.
But Edelman doesn’t believe they’ll win a Super Bowl just because Rodgers is under center.
“I love Mike Tomlin, I love the culture, I love the defense, I like Arthur Smith. But how fast can they get that machine going?,” Edelman said. “Aaron doesn’t know his teammates at all yet. Once again, he’s going into another year behind.
“I like the move. It’s the best thing for the Steelers right now. And Aaron, he’s going to a team that’s not terrible," he continued. “If he wants to continue his football career, that’s awesome. He gets the opportunity to do it at one of the pillars of the National Football League — but do I think they’re going to win a Super Bowl? No, I don’t.”
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