Aaron Rodgers' 2025 season with the Pittsburgh Steelers wasn’t just about a comeback - it was a reminder. A reminder that even at 42, with a surgically repaired Achilles and a fractured wrist in his non-throwing hand, the four-time MVP can still spin it at a high level.
After a pair of turbulent seasons in New York, including one that ended just four snaps in, Rodgers found new life in Pittsburgh. He led the Steelers to an AFC North title and a playoff berth, showing flashes of the elite quarterback play that defined his Hall of Fame career.
Rodgers’ numbers this season? Solid across the board.
A 65.7% completion rate, 3,322 passing yards, 24 touchdowns to just seven interceptions, and a 94.8 passer rating - all while gutting through the second half of the year with a fractured wrist. That’s not just veteran savvy; that’s toughness and efficiency from a guy who’s been doing it at a high level for nearly two decades.
But when the AFC Pro Bowl roster was announced, Rodgers’ name wasn’t on it. Even with several top quarterbacks bowing out - including Drake Maye, who’s prepping for the Super Bowl, and others like Patrick Mahomes and Daniel Jones sidelined with injuries - Rodgers didn’t get the nod.
Instead, the spot went to Cleveland Browns rookie Shedeur Sanders.
To be clear, Sanders has a bright future. His talent is evident, and his journey to the NFL has been one of the most closely followed stories in recent memory.
But his rookie campaign was far from Pro Bowl caliber. In eight appearances (seven starts), Sanders completed just 56.6% of his passes for 1,400 yards, with seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
His passer rating? 68.1.
Those are growing pains numbers, not all-star accolades.
There’s always a chance Rodgers was offered the spot and declined. Same goes for Trevor Lawrence, who’s in the MVP conversation and may have opted out.
But even so, the leap from that to Sanders being next in line raises eyebrows. The Pro Bowl is meant to celebrate the league’s best - or at the very least, the most impactful - and Rodgers, even in a season where he played through injury, checked more of those boxes than most.
Rodgers may not have needed another Pro Bowl to validate his legacy - he’s already cemented as one of the greats. But his 2025 season was more than just a farewell tour.
It was a statement that he can still compete with the best. And for many fans and analysts alike, leaving him off the AFC roster in favor of a rookie still finding his footing feels like a miss.
The Pro Bowl has always walked the line between celebration and spectacle. But when a future Hall of Famer puts together a gritty, productive season and doesn’t get the nod - while a rookie with more interceptions than touchdowns does - it’s fair to ask: What exactly are we celebrating?