Is Aaron Rodgers Calling the Shots in Pittsburgh? Questions Swirl After Ugly Loss to Buffalo
The Pittsburgh Steelers' 26-7 loss to the Buffalo Bills didn’t just sting in the standings-it ignited a wave of questions about who's really in control of the offense. And when two former NFL quarterbacks-Ben Roethlisberger and Chris Simms-start raising eyebrows, you know there's more to the story than just a bad day at the office.
On his “Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger” podcast, the longtime Steelers QB dropped a nugget that’s been echoing through the NFL world: he’d “heard” that Aaron Rodgers was freelancing on the field, calling his own plays over offensive coordinator Arthur Smith during the Week 13 meltdown. That’s not just a veteran QB taking liberties-that’s a potential power struggle playing out in real time.
Simms, speaking on the “This is Football with Kevin Clark” podcast, didn’t shy away from the idea either. “The quarterback play is not special,” Simms said.
“And then I do believe the offense has been hijacked by Aaron Rodgers to a degree.” That’s a strong statement, and Simms backed it up by pointing to inconsistencies in the play-calling-suggesting some of what we’re seeing on Sundays doesn’t match what’s coming from the sideline.
He referenced Rodgers’ postgame comments after the Buffalo loss, where the quarterback implied that some receivers didn’t know their routes-because they’d missed film sessions. Rodgers later clarified, saying he just wanted everyone to approach film study with “an open mind” and a willingness to improve.
But the damage may already be done. When your quarterback is publicly questioning preparation-and possibly rewriting the playbook on the fly-it’s hard to build cohesion.
A Quarterback Out of Sync with Reality?
Rodgers turned 42 this week, and with age comes experience-but also limitations. Simms didn’t hold back in suggesting that Rodgers may be playing like he’s still in his prime, even if his body isn’t quite on the same page.
“He still dances around in the pocket sometimes like it’s 2014,” Simms said. “Those days are over, man.”
And the tape backs that up. Before injuring his wrist on Nov.
16, Rodgers took a safety against the Chargers that looked more like a quarterback trying to do too much than one playing within the system. Against Buffalo, it was déjà vu-Rodgers lost a fumble that got taken to the house, one of several moments that turned a tough game into a lopsided defeat.
His final stat line? Just 10 completions on 21 attempts for 117 yards.
No touchdowns. One turnover.
And a whole lot of questions.
A Crucial AFC North Clash Looms
Despite the noise, Rodgers isn’t panicking ahead of this Sunday’s showdown with the Baltimore Ravens-a game that will decide who sits atop the AFC North heading into Week 15. Both teams are 6-6, and the margin for error is razor-thin.
What remains to be seen is whether Rodgers will stick to the script or try to play hero ball in a game with massive playoff implications. The Steelers need discipline and execution-two things that have been in short supply lately. If Rodgers can’t find that balance between instinct and structure, Pittsburgh’s postseason hopes could slip away just as quickly as that football did against Buffalo.
For now, the Steelers are walking a fine line between trust and tension. And if the offense continues to look disjointed, the question won’t just be about Rodgers’ play-it’ll be about who’s really running the show in Pittsburgh.