Skip Bayless never misses an opportunity to take a swing at Aaron Rodgers, but the controversial pundit is directing his latest barrage of criticism at the Pittsburgh Steelers’ front office.
Why Skip Bayless Is Criticizing Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers
With the NFL draft rapidly approaching and the Steelers paralyzed by their quarterback’s indecision regarding his playing future, Bayless didn’t mince words about the power dynamic in Pittsburgh. According to Bayless, a 42-year-old quarterback entirely controls the destiny of one of the league’s flagship franchises.
“This is a very sad story to me, that the Pittsburgh Steelers are being held hostage by Aaron Rodgers,” Bayless said recently on “The Arena: Gridiron.”
The frustration stems from the lack of clarity surrounding Rodgers, who has yet to commit to playing a 22nd NFL season. Ownership reportedly issued a deadline, demanding an answer before the draft. Instead of forcing the issue, the Steelers find themselves waiting on a veteran who showed serious signs of decline during the team’s postseason exit.
Bayless highlighted that decline by pointing to another aging superstar: LeBron James. Following a recent 30-point performance by the 41-year-old James against the Dallas Mavericks, Bayless drew a sharp contrast between the two future Hall of Famers.
“If you watched LeBron James yesterday at Dallas, he’s playing at a much, much higher level than Aaron Rodgers could dream of playing next year at age 42 in year 22,” Bayless said. “LeBron, 41 in year 23, way, way better. Looking at 41 like 28.”
The Fairy Tale Nightmare of Mike McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers
Pittsburgh brought in Mike McCarthy to replace Mike Tomlin, hoping the hometown coach could recapture the Super Bowl magic he once shared with Rodgers in Green Bay. Bayless views the entire narrative as a trap the franchise willingly walked into.
“They found themselves in a position with no more Mike Tomlin, which is going to be a problem for them,” Bayless said. “I think he was holding it barely together… And now they’ve got the storybook story of the year because they’ve got Mike McCarthy reunited with Aaron Rodgers back in McCarthy’s hometown of Pittsburgh. Here we go! It’ll be a great fairy tale story until opening day when they lose at home.”
The numbers back up the skepticism. Rodgers hasn’t produced elite efficiency metrics in years. Bayless correctly pointed out the quarterback’s precipitous drop in QBR, noting Rodgers ranked 26th during his final year in Green Bay, 25th in his lone full season with the Jets, and 23rd last season in Pittsburgh.
That statistical slide culminated in a brutal playoff showing. Facing a formidable defense, Rodgers was sacked relentlessly and finished with a passer rating of 50.8. The Steelers were blown out 30-6 while their quarterback went 17-of-33 for 146 passing yards and two crippling turnovers.
Not just that, PFSN’s NFL Quarterback Impact Metrics ranked him 29th last season with an impact score of 71.4 and a C- grade.
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“In that playoff game, he stunk,” Bayless said. “He was completely overmatched against a really good defense. They punished Aaron Rodgers and made him look real old — made him look 51.”
Despite the poor finish, Pittsburgh lacks a proven succession plan. Although they drafted Will Howard to develop behind Rodgers, it leaves McCarthy and the front office entirely dependent on his return.
“It sounded like an ultimatum from the owner: ‘I need to know by the draft,’” Bayless said. “But Aaron’s sitting back chuckling because he’s got them right where he wants them.”
The draft kicks off in just a few weeks. Unless Pittsburgh makes a drastic move to secure a rookie signal-caller, Rodgers will continue holding all the leverage as the offseason slips away.
