Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers
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Aaron Rodgers must show the willingness to change in one area if the Steelers are to reach their ceiling.
With Aaron Rodgers in town, there may not be a more highly-debated team in the NFL than the Pittsburgh Steelers right now. While many agree that Mike Tomlin’s crew has established a clear floor, its 2025 ceiling is being questioned on a daily basis.
Such is life with a four-time NFL MVP at quarterback. Rodgers, despite coming off a somewhat underwhelming season with the New York Jets, is expected to bring Pittsburgh back to the promised land. How reasonable is the current bar being set?
That’s what the “Speak” on FS1 crew set out to decipher. Six-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman Gerald McCoy, when asked about whether the Steelers can make a deep playoff run, seemed optimistic. That positive outlook is tied directly to Rodgers, however.
Gerald McCoy Calls for Aaron Rodgers to ‘Take a Back Seat’
Rodgers’ relationship with Tomlin and his willingness to not be the hero of the franchise will determine the season’s outcome, says McCoy.
“Sometimes, players transcend their head coaches,” McCoy said. “He can’t do that to Mike Tomlin. Mike Tomlin is going to tell him, ‘Hey, take a back seat. Let me handle this.’ So how far can they go? How far back on the bus is Aaron Rodgers willing to sit? You’re not the lead guy anymore. We have a formula here. The problem with the Pittsburgh Steelers is they’ve gotten into the playoffs and they don’t have a guy who can make the throws. All they need him to do is make those particular throws that they need a quarterback to make that these guys haven’t been able to make. So if Aaron Rodgers is willing to take a back seat and just play his role, they can go as far as the AFC Championship.”
Now 41 years old, Rodgers is gearing up for what should be his final season. Coming off a 28-touchdown campaign in New York, he showed that he isn’t an MVP anymore but was still capable of producing good moments on offense.
Should he maximize what he has left in the tank, the Steelers will have a puncher’s chance in the AFC. After all, it doesn’t take a ton to upgrade from quarterbacks like Mason Rudolph, Justin Fields and Russell Wilson. Rodgers hasn’t always been known to serve as more of a background character, though.
Steelers’ Defense Will Be Another Key to Success in 2025 Season
If – and it’s a big “if” – Rodgers is merely a cog in the machine, the Steelers will lean on their running game on offense. The other side of the ball could be their ultimate ticket to success.
McCoy thinks the pieces are in place on the defensive end to help propel the franchise in January.
“They have the defense – well, they’ve got to get T.J. [Watt] back in the building – but they have a defense,” McCoy said. “They have a formula that’s been working, but what they’ve run into is they haven’t had a quarterback that can make those particular throws only when we need you to. We don’t need you to have full reign. Full reign hasn’t been working for Aaron Rodgers; he’s not there anymore. As good as he is, he can make every throw, but full reign, not anymore. He can still be A-Rod, but he has to modify which A-Rod he is. I think they can make it all the way to the AFC Championship because they have everything necessary.”
It’s hard to argue with that. Last season, Pittsburgh fielded the No. 8 defense in scoring. They ranked 12th in yards and ninth in success rate. While there’s a wide range of outcomes on Rodgers-related predictions, Teryl Austin’s unit can be relied on. They’ll deliver.
Like McCoy makes the case for, it all comes down to the questionable quarterback. That’s been the case in the Steel City for around half a decade now.