A different day means a different analyst saying the same thing about the Pittsburgh Steelers and their stalled pursuit of future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers: That they shouldn’t do it and that they’re historically better than waiting on an irrelevant QB.
We’re now 2.5 months into the new league year, and the Steelers are no farther along than when they began their courtship following his release by the New York Jets on March 12. While some fans continue to debate the pros and cons of adding Rodgers to Mike Tomlin’s locker room, at least one prominent analyst believes the Steelers shouldn’t even be entertaining the thought.
Flirting With Disaster? Pittsburgh Steelers Blasted for Keeping Aaron Rodgers Option Alive
If Mike Tomlin is seriously considering bringing Rodgers into his locker room, ESPN’s Michael Wilbon has a message for him: Don’t.
“They’re making a mistake if they let him anywhere near their building,” Wilbon said on “Get Up,” pulling no punches when asked about Pittsburgh’s continued flirtation with Rodgers.
The Steelers didn’t just let him near the building — they welcomed him in. Rodgers visited the team on March 21, fueling speculation that a deal might be in the works. While no contract emerged, it confirmed Pittsburgh’s interest. Since then, Rodgers has cited personal reasons for the delay in his decision, and with OTAs underway, insiders like Mark Kaboly have pointed to June’s mandatory minicamp as a more realistic signing window.
But Wilbon doesn’t want to hear any of it.
“What are we talking about?” he said, clearly exasperated. “Do people actually look at actually what happens in sports? Aaron Rodgers hasn’t been relevant as a quarterback in the NFL in four or five seasons.”
Even Rodgers’ last full season — nearly 3,900 passing yards and 28 touchdowns — doesn’t sway Wilbon.
“The hallmark of the Pittsburgh Steelers is not stupidity. It’s an organization that’s made smart moves over decades, and they’re gonna bring Aaron Rodgers and all his drama into that room? Really? The Mike Tomlin we know, he’s gonna deal with that nonsense? For a guy who can’t play?
“Yes, he will wear a [Pro Football Hall of Fame] gold jacket; he’s earned it. He’s not wearing it now, he’s not gonna play in a gold jacket.”
Wilbon finished with a pointed reminder of how much energy has already been wasted on the topic: “The fact that we have spent this much time talking about Aaron damn Rodgers is insane. Stop with Aaron Rodgers. Stop.”
Rodgers Comes With Baggage — But He Could Carry the Steelers Farther Than Anyone Else
On the opposite end of the spectrum, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette columnist Paul Zeise sees the debate as missing the point. He believes fans are letting off-field opinions cloud the real question: Does Rodgers help the Steelers win?
“I get it, he is polarizing … so I get it, people who have decided not to like him just aren’t going to like him,” Zeise wrote. “The thing is, nobody is asking you to like him. The question is how much do you like your favorite team, in this case the Steelers?”
Zeise argued that while Rodgers isn’t what he once was, he’s still better than any option currently on the roster — or available elsewhere. “Let me spell this out for some of you as clearly as I can: The Steelers are a better team with Rodgers than they are without him. He is the best option they have at quarterback.”
He acknowledged the flaws — Rodgers’ age, quirks, and decline — but stressed that the potential upside outweighs those concerns.
“If Rodgers joins the Steelers and starts 15 or more games, the floor with him would be 8-9 wins, but the ceiling could be more like 12 or 13,” Zeise wrote. “Their ceiling is much higher with Rodgers than anyone else you can name.”
And that, he argued, should be the only thing that matters to a fan base that claims to want to win.