"He's at least worth one more win": Insider draws parallels to Steelers' Aaron Rodgers with Russell Wilson's stint

Aaron Rodgers has taken off the veil of mystery surrounding his NFL future. For weeks, the four-time NFL MVP was linked with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The franchise made an offer to the quarterback, but Rodgers made them play the waiting game before deciding to join them on a one-year deal.

However, despite the Steelers securing their starting quarterback for 2025, there are questions regarding Aaron Rodgers' role on the field: Can the 41-year-old prove himself in a tough division filled with talents like the AFC North?

On Saturday, Steelers insider Ray Fittipaldo, on 93.7 The Fan, shared his perspective on Aaron Rodgers' stint with the Steelers.

Fittipaldo compared Rodgers with Russell Wilson, who was the QB1 last season in Steel City. He said that Rodgers might perform better than Wilson. Last season, the Steelers made the Wild Card round of the playoffs under Wilson and Justin Fields.

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"Listen, they won 10 games with Russell Wilson and Justin Fields as their quarterback last year," Fittipaldo said (1:10). "I think he (Aaron Rodgers) is at least worth one more win, maybe two. I think that this is now maybe an 11-win team, something along those lines."

The AFC North is dominated by the Baltimore Ravens and the Cincinnati Bengals. Rodgers will be up against quarterbacks Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson. But Fittipaldo has doubts about the Steelers winning the heavily competitive division.

"I don't know if they're goo enough to unseed the Ravens," he said (1:20). "I'm not even sure that they are good enough to .... be the second Wild Card in this division. Cause I think the Bengals. ... So it's a really tough conference, it's a really tough division. But I think they are now squarely like a 10, if not 11 win team."

Aaron Rodgers' ex-teammate shares verdict on quarterback's impact on Steelers' playoff chances

Former NFL star-turned analyst James Jones played with Rodgers during his stint with the Green Bay Packers. He has been a vocal supporter of his former teammate despite the narrative surrounding him this offseason.

On Friday, James Jones made a bold prediction about the Steelers' playoff chances after signing Rodgers. He believes the four-time NFL MVP's arrival boosts their offense and their chances of competing in the playoffs.

"Well they're a playoff team now," Jones said on FS1's The Facility. "Once you get to the playoffs, anything can happen. ... Coach Tomlin should have a smile on his face this morning because now your team has a chance to compete.

"A couple days ago, your team did not have a chance to compete. But Aaron Rodgers walking into that building, instantly you are a playoff team."

Apart from Rodgers, the Steelers have Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson on the quarterback depth chart. They also acquired 2024 national champion Will Howard in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL draft.

About the author

Priyam is a College Sports content executive at Sportskeeda with a master's in Advertising and Marketing Management and over two years of experience as a writer. When it comes to reporting, Priyam believes doing a technical deep dive is one of his biggest strengths and he loves to dissect plays on the field and factor out the strengths/weaknesses of players.

A fan of the Alabama Crimson Tide football team, Priyam sees Nick Saban as the greatest coach of all time. He is also rooting for Alabama quarterback Jalen Milore after following his progress over the years. The Michigan Wolverines football team is another of his favorite programs and it will be interesting to see how both these teams perform in new coaching eras.

When he’s not reporting, Priyam is usually at the gym or indulging in music. He has been a guitarist and a drummer for the past 17 years and finds his time of peace when playing music.

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Edited by Bhargav