The 2025 NFL season is right around the corner and the Pittsburgh Steelers are gearing up for the start of training camp. Aaron Rodgers is also preparing for what he has said is likely his final season playing professional football.
Rodgers is one of the best quarterbacks of all-time. If the 2025 season is indeed his last, it will be a very sad day for the league when he walks away from the game he has given so much to.
With that being said, Rodgers and the Steelers are targeting him going out with a bang.
All offseason long, it has been clear that Pittsburgh has been targeting a Super Bowl run. Mike Tomlin and company have gone all-in on winning this season.
Bringing Rodgers onboard with a one-year deal was a clear sign of that. The Steelers also went out and traded for players like DK Metcalf, Jalen Ramsey, and Jonnu Smith. They still have work to do to get an extension done with T.J. Watt, but the roster looks formidable.
While there is a lot of hope surrounding the Pittsburgh franchise, some aren't buying it.
Former NFL scout John Middlekauff is among the doubters entering the 2025 season. He doesn't see things going well for the Steelers or Rodgers.
"If this gets ugly, it could get really ugly," Middlekauff said. "How many 41-year-olds don't get hurt in NFL history? I would say it's a pretty small list. You know, (Tom) Brady. If you've comparing Brady, think about some of his contemporaries. Now, they had physical ailments. Brees' shoulder, Roethlisberger's (elbow), Peyton Manning that last year. (John) Elway had to say, 'We're gonna give you a month off.'"
Middlekauf makes a good point. Rodgers is going to be 42 years old in December. He has already suffered a torn Achilles just a couple of years ago.
That being said, Rodgers has made a career out of proving doubters wrong. He has been among the NFL's elite despite many predicting his downfall.
Last season with the New York Jets, Rodgers completed 63 percent of his pass attempts for 3,897 yards, 28 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. He's still capable of throwing the football at a high level.
It will be very interesting to see what the 2025 ends up looking like for both Pittsburgh and Rodgers. The pieces are in place to make a run, but there is the potential that things could go south quickly as well.
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