The Pittsburgh Steelers are pinning a lot of their hopes in the 2025 NFL season on 41-year-old quarterback Aaron Rodgers. At the conclusion of mandatory minicamp, Rodgers seemingly has the Steelers convinced that was the right decision.
A few members of the Steelers coaching staff raved about Rodgers and what he brings to the table for the team this fall. Pittsburgh quarterback coach Tom Arth had the most empathic response to the media about how good the veteran quarterback looked during minicamp.
“I still think he’s at the top of his game. I think he’s a top quarterback in the league,” Arth said Wednesday. “Aaron was extremely impressive.
“He still throws the ball very well. He’s accurate. He’s so smart. You can see his decision-making — doesn’t take a lot of sacks.”
Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith echoed those comments.
“We’re talking about one of the greatest passers in the history of this game,” Smith said Wednesday. “Not many guys have thrown the ball from the football like Aaron Rodgers, and obviously he’s still doing that at a high level.”
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin kept his answer brief but was also clear that Rodgers is impressive.
“Read his resume,” said Tomlin on Tuesday to a question on what Rodgers will bring to the Steelers.
Rodgers missed voluntary offseason workouts in May. He was unsigned for much of the offseason while dealing with “personal issues,” which he explained during an appearance on ESPN’s The Pat McAfee Show on April 17.
The Steelers finally signed Rodgers to a one-year contract a few days prior to minicamp beginning on June 10.
Steelers’ Aaron Rodgers Still Looking Good
It’s important not to get carried away from performances in offseason workouts. They really don’t mean much, especially once the preseason and regular season arrive.
But Rodgers’ arrival seems to have the Steelers coaching staff optimistic that 2025 will be different than the last couple years. Nothing Rodgers did at camp changed that.
If anything, Rodgers’ practice performances added to the excitement.
Rodgers will turn 42 years old in December. But he will be a second year removed from his 2023 Achilles injury. And as only all-time great quarterbacks have done in the past, Rodgers has continued to adapt.
“Aaron, the way he sees the game is different than he was when he was 25 to now that he’s in his early 40s, but he’s still throwing the ball at a high level,” added Smith.
It sounds as though Rodgers delivered a minicamp performance the Steelers expected based on the offseason studying they did of the quarterback.
“Early in the 2024 season, the Achilles, and a hamstring injury to follow, clearly hampered him. But as time wore on, even with the Jets struggling, the Steelers saw Rodgers returning to form,” SI’s Albert Breer wrote. “In the Jets’ Halloween game against the Texans, he made a few big-time back-shoulder throws. He played well in both Dolphins games.
“In Week 16 against the Jaguars, Pittsburgh saw vintage Rodgers, with a late go-ahead touchdown throw to Davante Adams really standing out.”
Steelers Aiming to Snap Playoff Losing Streak With Rodgers
Last year, the Steelers added a Super Bowl-winning veteran quarterback in Russell Wilson, who hadn’t won a playoff game in five years, hoping he’d be the answer to the team snapping a postseason losing streak.
This year, it will be Rodgers’ turn to try and end Pittsburgh’s playoff losing streak five years removed from his last postseason win.
Rodgers has made just one postseason start over the last four seasons. That was a loss at home in the divisional round.
Rodgers led the Green Bay Packers to the Super Bowl after the 2010 season. Overall, he is 11-10 in his playoff career as a starter.
Mike Tomlin also won a Super Bowl early in his tenure. But since losing to Rodgers in the Super Bowl the quarterback won, Tomlin is 3-10 in the playoffs.
Pittsburgh’s last postseason win was in January 2017. The team is currently in the longest playoff win drought since the organization won its first postseason game in 1972.
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