Pittsburgh’s young offensive line will significantly benefit from Rodgers’ presence, with the 41-year-old QB getting the team into ideal play calls against favorable fronts and coverages. As a result, the Steelers should become more efficient on the ground by pounding the ball between the tackles against light boxes, while remaining aggressive in the passing game with vertical shots against one-on-one coverage on the outside. All in all, Rodgers can deftly manage the game with a ball-control offense, thus limiting possessions for opponents going against a stout Steelers defense.
That defense should be quite stingy in 2025, with Jalen Ramsey and Darius Slay joining a secondary that wants to play man-to-man coverage against the dangerous wideouts within their division. By adding a pair of accomplished vets, the Steelers have the flexibility to travel their defensive backs based on matchups or play man coverage from traditional alignments with minimal adjustments. In addition, defensive coordinator Teryl Austin can deploy Ramsey as a designated playmaker with “blitz, run and cover” responsibilities from the slot or out wide.
“[Ramsey’s] a football player first and a positional player second,” Tomlin recently said to the assembled media. “When he came out in the draft, I think he was the No. 1 safety on our board, as well as the No. 1 corner on our board. And I think that speaks to his versatility. His tape has done nothing but solidify that perspective that we had on him since he’s been in the league. Over the course of his career, you’ve seen him do a variety of things: play inside and play out. All the components of the game — man-to-man coverage, run support — he has an appetite for it all.”
Given Ramsey’s track record of shutting down wideouts and tight ends, the Steelers have added a chess piece that will enable them to issue a checkmate on opponents who want to feature a WR1 or TE1 prominently in the game plan.
While Ramsey will occupy a key role as one of the Steelers’ designated playmakers in the defensive backfield, T.J. Watt will continue to fill the lead role as the trench warrior Austin builds the pass-rush plan around. The 2021 Defensive Player of the Year recently inked a three-year, $123 million extension that rewards him for his splash-play efforts off the edge. A high-motor technician with an assortment of “Mr. Miyagi” hand maneuvers, Watt whips blockers with a combination of power and finesse that routinely produces a game-changing turnover or sack. Given the hefty payday and raised expectations that come with admittance into the $40 Million club, the Steelers’ top defender must work with Ramsey, Cameron Heyward and Patrick Queen to spark a top-five unit that controls the game with rugged play.
Though the Steelers lack the overall talent and depth of some current NFL powerhouses, their ability to transform every game into a street brawl could enable Rodgers to work his fourth-quarter magic and claim a series of one-score wins, ultimately earning Pittsburgh a ticket to the postseason. And in the playoffs, where margins of victory typically shrink, this could be a very dangerous squad with experience, physicality and balance.
I know a lot of people are dismissing Pittsburgh — a team that hasn’t won a postseason game since the 2016 season — but I think that’s a mistake. If these seasoned Steelers can just stay healthy, they could absolutely round into form as a true title contender.