Aaron Rodgers said that he thinks the Pittsburgh Steelers are one of the 10 or 12 teams that can win the Super Bowl this season. Considering that they haven’t even won a playoff game in almost 10 years, that might be a stretch. The Steelers changed their team this offseason, but it’s uncertain how those new pieces will fit. Mike Renner doesn’t agree with Rodgers, ranking the Steelers at 21st on his list of teams most likely to win the Super Bowl, with Rodgers being a big reason why he put them so low.
“Say he’s healthy the entire season, they’re higher than this,” Renner said recently on CBS Sports HQ. “Here’s the thing, he doesn’t play a brand football that leads to staying healthy. He takes a lot of hits.
“He’s not Tom Brady at this age, which is why he hasn’t looked like Tom Brady post-40 unfortunately. Also, you’ve got one receiver to throw to. Anytime Aaron Rodgers only has one receiver to throw to, he gets predictable. He force-feeds that guy, refuses to throw to the other people.”
Brady was an outlier. Despite being 43 when he joined them, Brady helped the Tampa Bay Buccaneers win the Super Bowl in his first season there. He played at a high level until he was 45 years old.
Expecting Rodgers to replicate that success is foolish. While Rodgers still looks like a quality quarterback, Renner is correct that he isn’t Brady, and the AFC looks like a gauntlet. Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs remain the standard. The Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens look like contenders, too. To get past any of those teams, the Steelers will likely need a lot from Rodgers.
Also, like Renner mentions, the Steelers’ roster still has holes. Wide receiver is the most notable spot that they could use an upgrade. DK Metcalf should be a great weapon for Rodgers, but behind him, the Steelers don’t have much. Roman Wilson has flashed in the preseason, and Calvin Austin III had a nice 2024 campaign, but neither of them is a definite No. 1 option.
It’s fair for Renner to question the Steelers’ Super Bowl chances, but they don’t feel as hopeless as he ranks them. He’s got them behind teams like the Indianapolis Colts, Atlanta Falcons, and New England Patriots. The Steelers might be a dark horse, but they aren’t that far away.
Renner is betting that Rodgers, at 41 years old, won’t hold up. However, he played every game last year. Yes, Rodgers dealt with injuries, but he still put together a solid season. The Steelers have done more with less under center. If Rodgers can play like he did last year, then the Steelers could make some noise in the playoffs.
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