I’m actually excited for Aaron Rodgers going to Pittsburgh.
Do his antics get a little bit old? Can he lay on the narcissism a bit thick?
I think it’s obvious that the answers to both questions are a resounding yes.
But the NFL is also a better place with Rodgers in it. Even when he played for the bottom-feeding Jets, the NFL had a certain juice — even when he tore his Achilles just four plays into the 2023 season.
Now, we get treated to a pair of rematch games? Yes please.
The Steelers travel to East Rutherford, NJ to take on the Jets in the season opener. Then the Packers travel to Pittsburgh in Week 8 to take on the Steelers on Sunday night.
The NFL rolled the dice that Rodgers would come back for a 21st season and it came up snake eyes.
Now, does this mean that I think that Rodgers is going to be a top 5 quarterback in the league? No way. But let’s also not forget that Rodgers threw for 3,897 yards, 28 touchdowns and 11 interceptions last year with the Jets. He had a passer rating of 90.5 — and that was with a Jets roster that had plenty of issues, especially on the offensive line.
Rodgers has always wanted an abundance of offensive weapons. Now he has DK Metcalf, one of the most physically-gifted wideouts in the league, Pat Freiermuth, one of the best tight ends in the league and one of the best offensive lines in the league as four of starters return.
But things just got really difficult for the 41-year-old. He now has to duel with Joe Burrow twice and tangle with Lamar Jackson twice in addition to Justin Herbert, Josh Allen and Jared Goff.
If this is indeed Rodgers’ swan song, he can go out in a blaze of glory. In Week 12, the Steelers travel to Chicago. How sweet would it be if the Steelers go to Chicago and beat them with Rodgers yelling in the background, “I still own you!”
It’s almost poetic. There is so much symmetry with this Rodgers’ storyline, it is dripping with plots and subplots. I don’t think Rodgers can throw over 4,500 yards this year, but then again, stranger things have happened. He still carries a large chip on his shoulder when people doubted him when he went to New York.
Now he’s on a much better roster with a head coach in Mike Tomlin that might be the best head coach he has ever played for.
Let’s make some popcorn!