{"id":57625,"date":"2025-06-21T09:04:46","date_gmt":"2025-06-21T09:04:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=57625"},"modified":"2025-06-21T09:04:46","modified_gmt":"2025-06-21T09:04:46","slug":"steelers-aaron-rodgers-drawing-scary-tom-brady-comparison","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=57625","title":{"rendered":"Steelers’ Aaron Rodgers Drawing Scary Tom Brady Comparison.."},"content":{"rendered":"
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Aaron Rodgers was recently predicted to struggle in his first year with the Steelers.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\"Jun<\/div>\n
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PITTSBURGH \u2014 The excitement within the Pittsburgh Steelers locker room and the fandom regarding Aaron Rodgers\u00a0is palpable. From the cheery attitude and outlooks shared at the team\u2019s recent minicamp to the sudden optimism shared by Steelers\u2019 Nation, there\u2019s a renewed belief in the team after the 41-year-old quarterback signed his one-year contract.<\/p>\n

Not everyone believes the Steelers and Rodgers will be a match made in heaven, however. Former Green Bay Packers linebacker Brady Poppinga recently appeared on Infinity Sports Network’s\u00a0Reiter Than You with Bill Reiter. Speaking with Reiter, Poppinga voiced concerns about Rodgers’ ability to feel pressure and escape the pocket, something he feels will stunt the potential of the Steelers in 2025.<\/p>\n

\u201cI went to the Jets-Patriots game last year,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd the thing that was sticking out about Aaron that was different was simply, it\u2019s almost this unwillingness \u2014 I wouldn\u2019t say unwillingness, because he\u2019s tough \u2014 it\u2019s almost like the body is tired and doesn\u2019t want to take the hit.”<\/p>\n

Poppinga also pointed to\u00a0Rodgers\u2019\u00a0tendency to move his eyes from downfield to the rush and back to the open field. In his opinion as a former defensive player, that few second delay could be the difference between a\u00a0huge play\u00a0and a sack or even worse.<\/p>\n

\u201cA receiver literally could come open and all of a sudden could become covered in a tenth of a second,\u201d he said. \u201cBy the time you\u2019re looking down at the rush and then back up to where you don\u2019t see them even come open or even have a chance to come in open space. And that\u2019s where I see him and that comes with age. It\u2019s not that he\u2019s being weak, it\u2019s not that he\u2019s not tough, it\u2019s just that you\u2019re getting tired. Tom Brady went through it. Brett Favre went through it, but everybody goes through it in the game of football.”<\/p>\n

The Steelers hope that Rodgers escapes the ill-fated drop off in production and skills in his 21st NFL season. With a rejuvenated offensive line and running game, the goal is to keep Rodgers upright and clean in the pocket. Whether or not that plan will work remains to be seen.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Aaron Rodgers was recently predicted to struggle in his first year with the Steelers. 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