Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers hasn’t done himself many favors in terms of public perception in recent years. But on his farewell tour in Western Pennsylvania, coming off the most underwhelming season of his career, Rodgers has a chance to make things right.
Some are already grateful for the upgrade Rodgers provides under center. There is uncertainty in the unknown, and Rodgers is certainly a different cat than either of last season’s quarterbacks or, say, Mason Rudolph. But for those waiting for Rodgers to prove himself in 2025, there’s only one thing he can do to earn their trust: win.
Rodgers is tasked with taking a team perpetually tied to being a game over .500 to the promised land of a deep playoff run. In an AFC North with two superstar quarterbacks, that might not be possible. Still, it’s clear that Rodgers is an upgrade over the alternatives in Pittsburgh’s quarterback room and, possibly, Russell Wilson and Justin Fields.
As the fans grow optimistic, the coaching staff is getting in on the fun.
Steelers quarterbacks coach Tom Arth generated excitement about Rodgers when talking about his physical gifts and the processing that keeps him above water on the wrong side of 40.
“I had just come from Indianapolis and spent three years with Peyton, and obviously saw the way he played and threw the ball. And it was really immediate to me, seeing Aaron and saying, ‘Man, like, you know, this guy’s got some really special gifts,’” Arth said on Wednesday.
Rodgers, now two years removed from his Achilles tear, isn’t going to be making out-of-structure highlights out of thin air like he did in Green Bay. But with offensive coordinator Arthur Smith and receiver DK Metcalf working to make life easier for him, Rodgers is in a better spot to succeed than he was in East Rutherford.
He’ll be battling Father Time. Arth, though, remains plenty confident in his ability to keep Pittsburgh competitive in the AFC gauntlet.
“I still think he’s at the top of his game. I think he’s a top quarterback in the league,” Arth said. “…Aaron was extremely impressive. He still throws the ball very well. He’s accurate. He’s so smart. You can see his decision-making — doesn’t take a lot of sacks.”
As first-round tackle Troy Fautanu returns, running back Kaleb Johnson revitalizes the backfield, and defensive tackle Derrick Harmon adds more consistency to a high-level defense, the Steelers have surrounded Rodgers with an adequate supporting cast. He’ll have to make good on Arth’s praise to truly win over the Pittsburgh faithful and bring home a playoff victory.
