Aaron Rodgers walked into Week 1 talking like a quarterback who believes the Pittsburgh Steelers belong in the Super Bowl picture. Then NFL.com dropped a ranking that put him at No. 29 out of 32 starters, a harsh reminder that the league is far less convinced.
That gap tells the story of Pittsburgh’s season in one shot. The roster has enough pieces to dream big. Whether the quarterback can carry the weight of that dream is the real question.
Rodgers made his case plainly when asked about the Steelers as contenders: “Yeah, of course. That's why I came back because I believe in the guys,”
Pittsburgh has given him reasons to feel that way. The Steelers added Jaquan Brisker and Jamel Dean to a defense that already had talent, bolstered the receiving group, and kept building around a young offensive line. Still Curtain’s breakdown of the Week 1 matchup up front pointed to both upside and some lingering preseason unease.
But outside the building, the optimism isn’t nearly as loud. Rodgers’ ranking came just hours after he laid out his Super Bowl belief, and NFL.com slotted him behind Kirk Cousins and Jacoby Brissett. Only Malik Willis, Tua Tagovailoa, and Deshaun Watson were lower.
That doesn’t mean Rodgers is suddenly finished. NFL.com calls the list fluid, and a preseason ranking is just one opinion. The numbers from 2025 also show a quarterback who was not close to the league’s bottom: Rodgers completed 65.7 percent of his passes with 24 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
Still, those are not the kind of numbers that scream championship offense.
Pittsburgh won the AFC North, but the offense was limited and Rodgers turned in the worst postseason performance of his career. His reunion with Mike McCarthy should bring more familiarity and structure, though the new-look receiving group lost valuable time together during training camp and the preseason.
The Steelers can help him with balance. They can lean on a defense built around Cameron Heyward, T.J.
Watt, and a stronger run-stopping front, and they can try to keep Rodgers out of too many obvious passing downs. But late in the year, when the games tighten up and defenses force the issue, Rodgers’ timing, arm strength, and third-down play will have to hold.
He doesn’t need to be MVP Aaron Rodgers anymore. That version of him is gone.
What Pittsburgh needs is something simpler: a quarterback who lives closer to the middle than the bottom. If he delivers that, the Super Bowl talk starts to sound a lot more reasonable.
If he doesn’t, the Steelers may end up right back in the same quarterback debate that shadowed the end of Ben Roethlisberger’s run.
In Other News...
Steelers Suddenly Face A Mason Rudolph Decision They Didn't Expect
Sam Darnolds hip injury in Seattle has quietly created a ripple effect that reaches all the way to Pittsburgh, where the Steelers are suddenly staring at a quarterback decision they didnt exactly plan for. Darnold was knocked out of the Seahawks season opener and Drew Lock stepped in to help finish off the win, which only sharpened the focus on veteran depth around the league and put a fresh spotlight on Mason Rudolphs place in the Steelers quarterback room.
Pittsburgh is reportedly open to trading Rudolph, and the Seahawks situation could make them a team worth watching if they want a seasoned option behind center. The Steelers currently have four quarterbacks on the roster, and with Seattle dealing with uncertainty under center, Pittsburgh may find itself weighing whether this is the right time to move a veteran or hold tight while the market sorts itself out. [Read more 🡒]
Aaron Rodgers Reignites Ugly NFL Media Fight On Cam Heywards Podcast
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Russini ultimately resigned from The Athletic, even as the outlets final report said her professional reporting was unbiased, and there are now indications she could try to return to NFL media. She also plans to speak publicly about the scandal, which keeps the story very much alive and leaves plenty of questions about how the fallout could shape both her comeback and the broader way football coverage handles its own controversies. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Opener Suddenly Comes With A Big Tua Concern
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Atlanta has not offered an official update, and for Pittsburgh the bigger question is whether the quarterbacks status changes by kickoff. The Falcons have already named Tagovailoa their starter for the opener, with Cooper Rush next in line if needed, but until there is more clarity, the Steelers will be preparing for a game plan that could hinge on how that back issue responds. [Read more 🡒]