In the aftermath of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offseason move to bring in veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers, former NFL quarterback Chase Daniel has made one thing clear: the pressure is now squarely on head coach Mike Tomlin. With growing frustration around the franchise’s direction, Daniel believes this could be a defining year for Tomlin, for better or worse.
Chase Daniel Believes Aaron Rodgers’ Move Could Seal Mike Tomlin’s Fate
The heart of Daniel’s criticism lies in the perceived inconsistency between Tomlin’s public statements and his actual decisions. Back in January, when the 2024 season ended, Tomlin addressed questions about his approach, stating, “I’m open to adaptation and change and have been. And so it’s not a new discussion… it’s not like I’ve been doing the same things over and over.” However, Daniel strongly disagrees with that assessment.
Who’s under more pressure: Tomlin or Rodgers?
It’s Tomlin—by a mile.
The Steelers are running back a failed formula: aging QB + strong defense. It didn’t work before… so why’s it different now? pic.twitter.com/lXzLgZQgHo
— Chase Daniel (@ChaseDaniel) June 6, 2025
“That’s completely false,” he argued. “Because you have been doing the same thing over and over.” According to Daniel, the Steelers are repeating a well-worn strategy, relying on aging quarterbacks to carry the team while depending heavily on an elite, expensive defense to mask the flaws.
Daniel pointed to recent history to make his case. The Steelers brought in 36-year-old Russell Wilson last season, hoping to rekindle his magic. The result? A modest 6-5 record as a starter and a swift first-round playoff exit. Before that, they tried to squeeze one last productive season out of Ben Roethlisberger, who finished his final campaign at 9-7. No playoff victories came from those efforts.
Now, the cycle continues with Rodgers, who is not only in his 40s but also potentially entering his final NFL season. Daniel believes the move reflects an organizational reluctance to embrace a long-term quarterback solution. The short-term fixes may provide flashes of excitement, but the results, particularly in the postseason, have remained underwhelming.
He went even further in his critique, stating, “[The Steelers are] doing exactly what Mike Tomlin said he wasn’t doing, and the definition of that in the dictionary, if I’m not wrong, [Emmanuel] Acho, is insanity.” The message is clear: repeating failed tactics and expecting different results cannot continue without consequences.
For Daniel, the implications are serious. If the Rodgers experiment doesn’t result in a playoff breakthrough, he suggests that the Steelers front office may need to ask whether Tomlin, for all his past success, has become too entrenched in a failing model. “Can you imagine if they don’t make the playoffs this year and they have yet to still develop a playoff quarterback?”
With Rodgers in place and expectations rising, the 2025 season could define Tomlin’s future in Pittsburgh.
