On the surface, Aaron Rodgers didn’t seem to help the Pittsburgh Steelers too much last season.
After going 10-7 and losing in the first round of the playoffs without him in 2024, they did the exact same thing with him in 2025. Their offense remained subpar, ranking right around league average for scoring but in the bottom 10 for yardage.
Accordingly, there have been calls for the Steelers to move on from Rodgers this offseason, that he’s not worth waiting around for at his age and this stage of his career.
FS1 sports analyst Willie Colon disagrees, however, crediting Rodgers for keeping Pittsburgh afloat last season.
“What’s out there that’s better than Aaron Rodgers?…You know what Aaron Rodgers did for the Pittsburgh Steelers? He fixed a broken system,” Colon said on last Thursday’s episode of “First Things First.” “If Aaron Rodgers isn’t the quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers, they don’t make the playoffs. That’s the difference.”
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That may be true, as Rodgers was an above-average quarterback and led the Steelers to a 10-6 record in his starts. However, he struggled against good defenses and playoff teams, going just 1-5 with a 70 passer rating against teams that made the postseason.
Rodgers probably isn’t going to get better heading into his age-43 season, and he’ll likely be worse. Pittsburgh made the playoffs by the skin of its teeth last year, so there’s little margin for error. Any regression by Rodgers or a major injury to him could knock the Steelers out of contention, making him a risky option if they decide to bring him back for his 22nd NFL season.
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