**Will Aaron Rodgers be worth the wait?**
As of this writing, the Steelers continue to wait on word—or rather, a signature—for Aaron Rodgers. They have had a contract on the table for him for weeks, but it remains unblemished by his pen. At least for one season, they are staking their hopes on the future Hall of Famer recapturing some magic. As they continue to twiddle their thumbs in anticipation, it’s fair to ask: will it be worth the wait?
Now, the Steelers are probably not winning any Super Bowls this year, with or without Aaron Rodgers. In other words, a championship would be too high a bar to set as the barometer for this question. Basically, will the Steelers get the type of quality quarterback play from Rodgers one would hope for when signing him?
While they somehow netted a Pro Bowl out of Russell Wilson last year, Pittsburgh’s quarterback play has left something to be desired in recent years. Some would argue that began even before Ben Roethlisberger retired. Now, Aaron Rodgers is even older than Roethlisberger was when he retired, but the Steelers are kind of desperate.
Some believe that the Steelers already have some sort of formal agreement with Rodgers, making the wait more palatable. In the meantime, they did sign Mason Rudolph, who works as a backup and as a contingency plan.
Aaron Rodgers will turn 42 during the 2025 season, and is the oldest player in the NFL. He suffered a season-ending injury in 2023, and seemed to be limited by that last season. While he improved statistically as the season progressed, the Jets did not. Many have contended that his late-season stats are inflated in “garbage time”, which is at least partly true.
But is he really washed up? He was still a good quarterback before his injury, and won the MVP in 2020 and 2021. That’s not _so_ long ago, but it’s also not yesterday. If the Steelers can provide something close to ideal conditions, will they see the Aaron Rodgers of old? Or will they find themselves stuck with just the old Aaron Rodgers?
_The Steelers’ 2024 season has come to its predictably inauspicious end, with yet another one-and-done postseason for HC Mike Tomlin. The offense faltered, and the defense matched it blow for blow, leading to a 21-0 first-half deficit._
_Just like last year, the biggest question hanging over the Steelers is_ [_the quarterback question_](https://steelersdepot.com/2025/03/the-athletic-hard-to-think-about-anything-else-without-qb-in-place-for-steelers/)_. There are_ [_other major decisions to make_](https://overthecap.com/salary-cap/pittsburgh-steelers)_, as well, such as what to do with George Pickens. Do you sign him to an extension, try to trade him, or let him play out his rookie contract?_
_The Steelers started the 2024 season 10-3, with Mike Tomlin in the Coach of the Year conversation. Wash, rinse, and repeat, and we have another late-season collapse. This may be the worst yet, a four-game losing streak presaging a one-and-done playoff “run”. Welcome to Steelers football._