Last offseason, the Pittsburgh Steelers totally overhauled their quarterback room. There was hope that would infuse some life in their offense. While that unit looked better at times in, the Steelers still weren’t good enough offensively. Therefore, they will once again have a new quarterback room. Right now, that group doesn’t look too intimidating, but the Steelers are still pursuing Aaron Rodgers. It’s just unclear if he’s actually going to sign with them. Former Steelers cornerback Steven Nelson doesn’t seem to think his old team should bother with Rodgers.
“Washed and he don’t give a damn, I’m sorry,” Nelson wrote Thursday on his Instagram story over a picture speculating that the Steelers would make the playoffs with Rodgers. “[Hall of Fame] though. Give that money to someone else.”
Steven Nelson Rodgers
Nelson was only with the Steelers in 2019 and 2020, but it seems like he’s still got some opinions on them. While Rodgers will make the Pro Football Hall of Fame one day, he isn’t that same player anymore. At 41 years old, Father Time and injuries have taken a lot from Rodgers.
Also, Nelson isn’t the first person to voice these concerns about Rodgers. It might be unfair to say that Rodgers doesn’t care about football. Although it isn’t a great look that he’s yet to make a decision on his future, it sounds like he has his reasons. Rodgers made it clear that he’s dealing with some personal issues that require most of his attention.
Between his declining play and uncertainty about his future, there’s a lot of risk in signing Rodgers. Nelson’s suggestion to “give that money to someone else” might’ve been a good idea a few months ago when free agency started.
However, at this point, Rodgers is likely the Steelers’ best option under center. Without him, Mason Rudolph will likely be their 2025 starter. While Rudolph is a fine player, if he’s the Steelers’ starter for an entire season, their ceiling likely wouldn’t be very high.
The rest of the free agent quarterback market has basically dried up as well. The Steelers could try to trade for Kirk Cousins, but he presents a lot of the same questions that Rodgers does. For Pittsburgh, it’s likely Rodgers or bust. Maybe the four-time NFL MVP will recapture some of his former glory, too. He didn’t look totally washed-up last year.
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