Aaron Rodgers didn’t love the question - and he didn’t hide it.
After the Steelers’ Dec. 15 win, Rodgers rattled off a list of players who’ve been overlooked or let go elsewhere - Kenneth Gainwell, Connor Heyward, Adam Thielen, Marquez Valdes-Scantling - guys he called “castoffs” who’ve found a home and a role in Pittsburgh. So naturally, a reporter asked the follow-up: Did Rodgers consider himself one of them?
“No, I’m not a castoff,” he replied, cool and direct.
Call it what you want, but the Jets did move on from Rodgers last offseason. And now, at 42, he’s leading the Steelers to the doorstep of the playoffs.
Pittsburgh, sitting at 9-6, holds a two-game lead over the Ravens in the AFC North. They could lock up the division title as early as this weekend.
If Baltimore loses in Green Bay on Saturday, the Steelers are champs. If not, a win over the struggling Browns on Sunday would seal it anyway.
Rodgers hasn’t been lighting up the stat sheet - this isn’t 2011 MVP mode - but make no mistake: he’s been the steady hand behind Pittsburgh’s three-game winning streak over the Ravens, Dolphins, and Lions. And it’s not just about what he’s doing - it’s when and how he’s doing it.
Sunday’s 29-24 road win in Detroit was another example of Rodgers playing smart, efficient football. That’s three straight games with 220+ passing yards, a completion rate north of 65%, and zero interceptions. No flash, just control - the kind of quarterbacking that wins games in December.
It’s worth noting that this run comes on the heels of Rodgers returning from multiple fractures in his non-throwing wrist - an injury that sidelined him for a loss to Chicago and clearly limited him in a loss to Buffalo. But since then, he’s looked more like himself, and the Steelers have followed suit.
“It’s been playoff-type football for us the last three weeks,” Rodgers said after the win in Detroit. And he’s not wrong - every game has had that must-win energy, and Pittsburgh has responded.
When the Jets traded for Rodgers ahead of the 2023 season, they believed he was the missing piece. A four-time MVP and Super Bowl champ, he was supposed to end a 50-plus-year title drought in New York.
Instead, he tore his Achilles four snaps into the season opener. The Jets stumbled to a 5-12 finish, and Rodgers’ time there never really got off the ground.
There were flashes late last season - nearly 3,900 passing yards, 28 touchdowns, and a strong finish with four scores in the finale - but the Jets’ new leadership decided to hit reset. Head coach Aaron Glenn and GM Darren Mougey made the call to release Rodgers, reportedly flying him cross-country just to deliver the news in person.
That decision also marked the end of Rodgers’ on-field partnership with Davante Adams, who signed with the Rams and now leads the league with 14 touchdown catches.
But in Pittsburgh, Rodgers hasn’t had to be the savior. He’s just had to be the guy who keeps the offense on schedule, protects the ball, and lets the Steelers’ opportunistic defense do its thing. Under Mike Tomlin - who’s built a culture of consistency that few teams can match - that formula has worked.
“I was proud of our guys,” Rodgers said after Sunday’s win. “Some games, the defense has stood on its head and given us a chance, and a few times we’ve done it [on offense]. Tonight was one of those times where we kept answering.”
Through 14 games, Rodgers has thrown for 2,860 yards, 23 touchdowns, and just seven picks. That includes a throwback performance in Week 1 - four touchdown passes in a win over the Jets at MetLife Stadium. Talk about a full-circle moment.
Meanwhile, the Jets are slogging through a 3-12 season, and quarterback play has been a glaring issue. Justin Fields, brought in to replace Rodgers, was benched after a rough outing in New England.
Tyrod Taylor has started four games with just one win. And now they’re rolling with undrafted rookie Brady Cook, who’s thrown one touchdown and six interceptions in his two starts - including Sunday’s 29-6 loss in New Orleans.
The silver lining for New York? They’ve got five first-round picks over the next two drafts. That’s plenty of capital to chase a franchise quarterback, whether it’s a top prospect or a proven veteran.
But while the Jets look ahead to another offseason of soul-searching, Rodgers and the Steelers are playing meaningful football in December - and winning.
“It says a lot about the guys that we’ve got,” Rodgers said. “It says a lot about the leadership, the organization and the players.”
At this point, labels don’t matter. Castoff or not, Aaron Rodgers is back in the playoff hunt - and the Steelers are right there with him.