Steelers Surge Behind Rodgers' Late-Season Revival - But How Far Can They Really Go?
Let’s be honest - back in midseason, few people were buying stock in the Pittsburgh Steelers. At 5-4 after a flat prime-time loss to the Chargers, the team looked like it was stuck in neutral.
The fanbase was restless, chants to fire Mike Tomlin echoed through Acrisure Stadium, and Aaron Rodgers, coming off a major Achilles injury at age 42, didn’t exactly inspire visions of a playoff run. Pittsburgh looked like a team caught in the NFL’s most frustrating purgatory: not bad enough to rebuild, not good enough to contend.
But here we are, six weeks later, and the conversation has changed dramatically.
Three straight wins have pushed the Steelers to 9-6, vaulting them into pole position in the AFC North and putting them on track for a home playoff game. Tomlin, once again, has steered his team clear of a losing season - now 19 straight years without one.
That’s not just a coaching streak; it’s a statement of culture. And Rodgers?
The old vet has looked more like a stabilizing force than a fading star, averaging 258 passing yards over the last three wins with four touchdowns and zero picks.
In a year where quarterback play has cratered across the league - just ask fans in New York or Las Vegas - Rodgers has been, at the very least, steady. And in today’s NFL, that alone can be a competitive advantage.
Still, the question lingers: Is this as good as it gets for Pittsburgh, or is there another gear they haven’t hit yet?
Let’s not ignore the road they took to get here. The Steelers’ recent win streak has been impressive on paper, but the details tell a more complicated story.
That blowout loss to Buffalo almost a month ago? It wasn’t just a loss - it was a gut punch.
The Bills have had their own inconsistencies this season, yet they dominated the Steelers in Pittsburgh, setting off a wave of frustration among fans. The bounce-back win in Baltimore looked strong at the time, but it’s aged poorly as the Ravens have stumbled down the stretch, with Lamar Jackson clearly not at full strength.
Then came a win over a Dolphins squad in freefall - though to be fair, Pittsburgh might’ve helped push them over the edge. And just this past Sunday, the Steelers escaped Detroit with a narrow win, thanks in part to a pair of late-game offensive pass interference calls that went against the Lions. Flip those flags the other way, and we might be talking about an 8-7 team barely hanging on.
But to their credit, Pittsburgh built a 12-point lead on the road against a desperate Lions team fighting for its playoff life. That’s not nothing.
And while the ending was messy, the win wasn’t a fluke. It was the kind of gritty, hold-on-by-your-fingernails victory that has defined many of Tomlin’s teams over the years.
Now comes a sneaky-tough test against the 3-12 Browns. Yes, Cleveland’s record is ugly, but their defense has shown teeth, especially against immobile quarterbacks - and Rodgers in 2025 is definitely more statue than scrambler. Myles Garrett, still chasing the single-season sack record, will be licking his chops at the chance to tee off on a quarterback who’s not going anywhere in a hurry.
To make matters more difficult, Rodgers will be without his top target. DK Metcalf is serving a two-game suspension after an altercation with a Lions fan, leaving the Steelers short-handed in the passing game. That’s a big loss - Metcalf’s physicality and chemistry with Rodgers have been central to Pittsburgh’s offensive rhythm during this late-season run.
But what the Steelers have figured out in recent weeks is something they’ve lacked for years: an identity.
It starts with the run game. Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell have emerged as a legitimate one-two punch, both capable of grinding out tough yards and contributing as pass-catchers.
They’ve given Pittsburgh a foundation - a way to control tempo, stay ahead of the sticks, and take some pressure off Rodgers. It’s not flashy, but it’s effective.
And while Rodgers may not be the guy who used to roll out and launch 50-yard lasers in Green Bay, he still knows how to dissect a defense. He’s not going to carry a team on his back anymore, but he can still make the handful of throws that matter - the third-and-eight conversions, the red zone darts, the sideline shots with timing and touch.
If the Steelers do end up winning the AFC North, it won’t just be a feather in Tomlin’s cap - it’ll be proof that bringing in Rodgers wasn’t a desperate swing, but a calculated move that paid off.
Of course, the future remains murky. Even if Pittsburgh makes the playoffs, questions will swirl about what comes next.
Is Rodgers back in 2026? Do the Steelers finally commit to a young quarterback?
Is this late-season surge sustainable, or just a sugar high?
But for now, those questions can wait. The Steelers are winning.
Rodgers is delivering. And Tomlin, once again, is proving that betting against him is rarely a smart move.
For a team that looked lost just a few weeks ago, that’s a pretty remarkable turnaround.