Coming off the worst three-year stretch of his career, Aaron Rodgers has a lot of work to do if he wants to rebuild his reputation in the league. The Pittsburgh Steelers are convinced they have a quarterback who can break a nearly decade-long playoff losing streak. However, the four-time MVP has been a shell of himself since his final year with the Green Bay Packers.
As a result, genuine question marks are plaguing the Steelers as they enter the 2025 season. An entirely new roster means that the team needs to work on its chemistry and sync. However, considering the age of some of the team’s veterans, will head coach Mike Tomlin deploy Rodgers in Week 1 of the preseason against the Jacksonville Jaguars?
Will Aaron Rodgers Start Against the Jacksonville Jaguars?
After missing his first year with the New York Jets with a torn Achilles, the former Super Bowl champion returned to the lineup in 2024Â with a lot of pomp and circumstance. However, the end product was far from the interest it generated.
Finishing the season with the worst yards per attempt (6.7) and passer rating (90.5) of his career, Rodgers clearly couldn’t single-handedly lift a team. Pittsburgh also recognized the problem to some extent, making key trades for DK Metcalf and Jalen Ramsey.
But joining a new roster, it’s going to take a while for the 41-year-old to find a synergy with his teammates. However, Tomlin believes risk is worth taking, as a potential injury risk is far more costly for the organization to bear.
As a result, he confirmed that his prized offseason acquisition at quarterback wouldn’t be suiting up against the Jaguars.
“I’ve identified some guys that won’t be playing in this game this week.” But he wasn’t willing to use the injury excuse. “It has nothing to do with injury.” Instead, he cited their experience as the sole reason for his decision. “They need less runway to take off, to be quite honest with you, because of their experience and where they are in their careers.”
Long list of players won’t participate for Steelers in preseason 1. Rodgers won’t play. pic.twitter.com/K6NdpyLzgm
— Mark Kaboly (@MarkKaboly) August 7, 2025
For a team that split time between Justin Fields and Russell Wilson at quarterback last season, Rodgers offers an immediate upgrade, at least in name value. However, per PFSN’s QB+ metric, the three names weren’t very far apart in the 2024 season.
RELATED: How To Watch Jaguars-Steelers Week 1 Preseason Game — TV Channel, Date, and Time
While Wilson finished 17th, the man who took Rodgers’ spot in New York didn’t qualify for an official ranking. However, if he had continued at his pace, he would have ranked 15th. On the other hand, the newest member of the Steelers organization fell a bit behind, ranking 21st.
Rodgers is coming in as the problem solver for the Steelers, who have pinned a ton of hopes on an aging quarterback. It remains to be seen if the gamble will pay off, but fans will have to wait a touch longer to pass their verdict.
The Steelers will open the NFL Preseason Saturday night in Jacksonville against the Jaguars. The game will kick off at 7 p.m. ET and be available on local broadcasts.
