The Pittsburgh Steelers agreed to terms with QB Aaron Rodgers yesterday after months of waiting, but there’s still plenty of questions about their upside with Rodgers in the fold. Appearing on FS1’s SPEAK, former NFL wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh downplayed Pittsburgh signing Rodgers.
“The same as they would be if he wasn’t there. Mike Tomlin is gonna be battling himself in NFL history to have a non-losing season,” Houshmandzadeh said. “I don’t see Aaron Rodgers moving the needle.”
Houshmandzadeh believes the Steelers’ roster this year is comparable the Jets team last year that went 5-12 led by Rodgers, and the only way for Rodgers to be better is if Mike Tomlin and Arthur Smith can be “way better coaches” than what he had in New York.
“My expectations, third in the division, I believe they don’t make the playoffs. Too many really good young teams, the Texans are going to be much better, if Tua [Tagovailoa] can stay healthy the Dolphins are gonna be better, the Patriots are gonna be better. I don’t believe it moves the needle.”
If the Steelers didn’t sign Rodgers, they could’ve stuck with Mason Rudolph, whose best stretch came with the Steelers at the end of the 2023 season. But dating back to the beginning of free agency, the Steelers targeted Rodgers and clearly believe he has more left in the tank and can get them over the hump to be a team that can compete in the postseason.
But the AFC North doesn’t get any easier, and the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens could both finish ahead of Pittsburgh, and that’s what Houshmandzadeh believes will happen. I don’t think it’s as definitive as he believes that the Steelers will be worse than the Dolphins and the Patriots, as both of those teams have plenty of questions as well, but the Steelers could be fighting for a playoff spot all the way until Week 18.
I understand a lot of analysts not having a ton of faith in Rodgers after last season with the Jets, but it’s hard not to view him as an overall upgrade for Pittsburgh’s quarterback room. This is a Steelers team that’s clawed into the playoffs with Rudolph under center and a team that made the postseason and looked really good at stretches with Justin Fields and Russell Wilson at quarterback last season. Rodgers should be an upgrade at the position with his arm talent and football IQ, and Pittsburgh’s pass catchers should also be at least a little bit better than the room it had in 2024.
Rodgers is 41 and last year wasn’t pretty, but I think he does elevate the Steelers’ ceiling a bit and treating him like just a guy who isn’t going to be “moving the needle” isn’t something I agree with. There’s a better chance the Steelers are a playoff team with Aaron Rodgers than they would’ve been with Rudolph, and while Ryan Clark may argue that’s not to the Steelers’ benefit, they’re a team that is still built to win now and is never going to tank. For the Steelers’ goal to compete, Rodgers is a good fit and a better option than anyone else Pittsburgh could’ve had under center.
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