The Pittsburgh Steelers have put all their eggs in the Aaron Rodgers basket. After not signing a legitimate starting-caliber quarterback in free agency or adding one in the 2025 NFL Draft, head coach Mike Tomlin finally got his guy right before Pittsburgh’s mandatory minicamp.
However, on the other side of 40, and with the last few seasons going far from what Rodgers would expect, there are some question marks about how the Steelers could fare this upcoming season. However, for one analyst, the roster has boom-or-bust potential as they head into the 2025 season.
What Does the 2025 Season Look Like for Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers?
Adding DK Metcalf and the four-time MVP were some of the biggest changes Pittsburgh made this offseason. However, with their new quarterback-wide receiver combo comes a ton of expectations for the roster to succeed.
While Tomlin’s streak of no losing seasons continues to be one of the most impressive accomplishments in the sport, the drought of playoff wins has become an equally problematic statistic. The expectation for the Steelers has to be a reversal in the postseason.
But Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk sat down on the official NFL on NBC channel to break down the upcoming year for Pittsburgh. “I guarantee you’re not going to finish dead in the middle.” Instead, he sees either of two possibilities on either end of the spectrum.
“This Aaron Rodgers thing is either going to work really well and they’ll be a top-seven team, or it’s going to be a c**p show and they’re going to be in the bottom four of the league. They’re not going to be in the middle.”
To Florio’s credit, Pittsburgh’s recipe for either side of the equation is legitimate. Last season, they started the year 10-3 before losing their last five games consecutively, including a Wild Card Round loss to the Baltimore Ravens.
And Rodgers, at 41, isn’t the same quarterback he used to be. Last year, he finished 21st on PFSN’s QB+ metric, had the worst passer rating of his career, and only managed five wins on the season.
But for those on the optimistic side of the bracket, the Steelers have had winning seasons with Mason Rudolph and Kenny Pickett as their starting quarterbacks. Two years removed from a torn Achilles could allow Rodgers to function at a higher capacity.
And a Tomlin defense powered by an offense that ranks better than 25th on PFSN’s Offense+ metric could be an easy recipe for an elite team.
With high-profile matchups like Rodgers’ first-ever battle against the Green Bay Packers and a return to the New York Jets on the calendar, it’s going to make for an eye-popping season in Pittsburgh.