The Pittsburgh Steelers have had a hard time locking down a reliable starting quarterback since Ben Roethlisberger retired after the 2021 season. They drafted Kenny Pickett in the first round in 2022, but the team has mostly leaned on a revolving door of veteran quarterbacks on short-term deals, including Justin Fields and Russell Wilson.
That’s why it wasn’t surprising when they decided to take another swing, signing former Super Bowl champion Aaron Rodgers to a one-year deal.
While the news got mixed reactions, one former Steelers wide receiver believes Rodgers will be a huge asset for Pittsburgh’s offense.
Steelers HC Mike Tomlin Can Succeed Where the Jets Failed With Aaron Rodgers
Allen Robinson II spent only one year with the Steelers in 2023, but he was asked on “This is Football” how he thinks the four-time MVP will fit in the Steel City.
“We’ve seen coach [Mike] Tomlin coach Antonio Brown, Le’Veon Bell, Ben Roethlisberger. Some of the biggest names and personalities that we’ve saw in the game and have an extreme amount of success,” Robinson said.
“Aaron Rodgers going to Pittsburgh, I think it’s a phenomenal fit. He’ll be able to bring his alpha nature under center and be able to kind of ignite everybody as well. And Coach Tomlin will give him full autonomy to be able to do that,” Robinson added.
Tomlin often comes up as a reason why veterans want to come to Pittsburgh, and Rodgers is no different. The 41-year-old quarterback spoke glowingly about his conversations with the Super Bowl-winning coach.
If you want to tell me Aaron Rodgers is a darkness loving narcissist who has no idea what the word “enigma” means, fine…
just don’t be the fool who says he can’t play football pic.twitter.com/fBD2wjIchP
— Frank Michael Smith (@frankmikesmith) June 10, 2025
Robinson saw firsthand how well Tomlin handles big personalities. Wide receivers Diontae Johnson and George Pickens were often criticized for their immature behavior.
Even while dealing with multiple injuries and a messy quarterback situation, Tomlin still got the team to the playoffs. Robinson said Tomlin knows how to get the best out of his players.
“One thing I learned from being there is, you’re gonna see guys with coach Tomlin, they’re gonna play almost at their best very, very frequently,” Robinson said. “That’s just the kind of operation he runs … he really gives that to his players to be able to step in and be themselves.”
Some players do thrive elsewhere, but many don’t. Tomlin has long been praised for knowing when it’s time to move on, like he did with Brown and Bell.
Rodgers didn’t have an ideal season with the New York Jets in 2024.
According to PFSN’s QB+ metric, he earned a grade of C-, ranking 21st in the league. He was just a year removed from an Achilles tear, and while the Jets had some offensive talent, they were young and needed time and stability to click.
If Tomlin can tap into what’s left of Rodgers’ upside and lean on the mostly veteran core around him, the Steelers might finally break through and win some playoff games again.
