Last year, by the skin of their teeth, the Pittsburgh Steelers won the AFC North. The division has seen significant change this offseason, with Pittsburgh at the heart of that effort. However, despite some changes in the staff and around the roster, CBS Sports’ Tyler Sullivan is a little more confident in the rest of the division this time around.
“I know this is a team that won the division last season, I have them going all the way down to third. And it’s kind of because they have a 42-year-old quarterback, in Aaron Rodgers,” Sullivan said Monday on CBS Sports HQ. “I always am a little weary when you talk to a player who’s got one foot out the door… Maybe this is one of those seasons where you hang on one too many years.”
Aaron Rodgers is heading into his self-proclaimed last ride, and some have criticized him for that, thinking his foot may already be out the door. But for what it’s worth, Rodgers was in a similar mindset last season. He was never firm about retiring, but he played with the possibility that it might be his final year. Obviously, he wasn’t dominant, but Rodgers still played well given his circumstances.
He’s limited at this point in his career, but he will have more help around him. He’s getting an upgrade in the offensive scheme under Mike McCarthy. And while the receiving corps is probably what hurt him the most last year, it figures to be better with the additions of Michael Pittman Jr. and Germie Bernard.
Yet, there is age across the roster, aside from Rodgers. Mike Renner shared a similar sentiment.
“It’s hard for me to get excited about a team that’s just this old. I mean, it’s not only Aaron Rodgers that’s old,” Renner said. “They only got older as a roster. And I just think they’re getting passed up in that division, truthfully.”
Some notable names around Pittsburgh’s roster aren’t getting any younger. Defensively, Cam Heyward, T.J. Watt and Jalen Ramsey are all stalwarts on the wrong side of 30. But aside from those names, there really is a lot of youth across the group.
Defensively, the Steelers just extended Nick Herbig, a talented young pass rusher. Joey Porter Jr. and Keeanu Benton are two other youngsters who should get their own contract extensions. Other standout players like Jamel Dean, Alex Highsmith, DeShon Elliott, Patrick Queen and Jaquan Brisker are still in their 20s as well. And while the man leading the offense is older, age really isn’t an issue on that side of the ball. At receiver, running back and the offensive line, Pittsburgh is mostly young.
The Steelers do have some standout players getting up there in age, and they haven’t gotten over the hump recently. That’s a reason for pessimism that most point to. It’s why Renner and Sullivan think the Steelers won’t compete in the AFC North. But there is still plenty of youth deserving of recognition as well.
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