Sometimes it takes a career backup to know a career backup, and that’s exactly the angle that Chase Daniel chose to analyze the Pittsburgh Steelers this morning. With Aaron Rodgers, he gives them a chance, but with Mason Rudolph and Will Howard? None at all.
“Respectfully, I’m a career backup quarterback. These are career backups,” Daniel said of Rudolph, Howard and Skylar Thompson via FS1’s The Facility. “There’s no way the Steelers are a playoff team without Aaron Rodgers. Zero chance.”
Mike Tomlin’s 18-year history as the Steelers’ head coach would say otherwise. He managed to be in contention for a playoff spot until the final week with Duck Hodges and Rudolph in his second NFL season back in 2019 when Ben Roethlisberger was injured. He made the playoffs with a combination of Kenny Pickett, Mitch Trubisky and Rudolph in 2023.
Daniel’s label might stick for Rudolph, now seven years into a backup-heavy career. But it’s premature for Howard, who hasn’t played an NFL snap. If they were competitive in 2019 with Hodgers and Rudolph, why not in 2025 with Rudolph and Howard?
“Their team around the Steelers this year, not even remotely close to the team they had in the Duck Hodges and Mason,” Daniel said. “It ain’t even close. That’s the difference. This Steelers team overall is not the team they used to be.”
Aside from the quarterback position, there are reasons for optimism on the Steelers’ roster. Arthur Smith will finally have a running back that can operate his preferred outside zone run scheme. The offensive line should continue to ascend as a group after all the recent investments. And there is no reason to believe the defense will be worse than they were a year ago. Despite their late-season flaws, they were still one of the best in the league for stretches of the season.
All that said, Aaron Rodgers is easily the best of the bunch for the current season. There is a reason the Steelers have been willing to wait nearly three months for his decision and all the drama that comes with it. If they thought it was a push between Rudolph and Rodgers, they would just move forward with Rudolph. They clearly think there is an upgrade to be had with the future Hall of Famer.
Ben Roethlisberger gave the Steelers seven wins without Rodgers and 11 wins with him in his season prediction. Despite being 41 years old and winning just five games last season, Rodgers would be the best quarterback of the Steelers since pre-injury Ben Roethlisberger.
Fans want to remember Rudolph’s three-game stretch with the Steelers at the end of 2023, but ignore his nine TD, nine INT performance as a 1-4 quarterback for the Tennessee Titans last year. Rudolph wouldn’t give the Steelers “zero chance” to make the playoffs, but the absence of Rodgers would diminish their chances significantly.
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