"You’re not the lead guy" - Ex-NFL All-Pro urges Aaron Rodgers to take backseat if Steelers want to make AFC Championship push under Mike Tomlin

For the Pittsburgh Steelers, Aaron Rodgers will be the fifth different quarterback in five years to start a Week 1 game. There has been no stability in the position, and with Rodgers confirming this will be his final season in the NFL, 2026 could see a sixth different Steelers passer.

The difference between Rodgers and the other quarterbacks is that he has a significantly more impressive pedigree. He's a Super Bowl champion who has won the MVP award four times, also making the All-Pro five times. Although there were batches of success, none of the other passers have come close to such a meritorious career or Rodgers' elite level.

However, things have changed. Rodgers hasn't played well since 2021. He's 41, suffered a season-ending injury in 2023 and was released from the New York Jets following a very poor 2024 season. Even though he was a superstar for over a decade, his best years are behind him.

Former NFL defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, who faced the veteran quarterback multiple times, gave his take on Fox Sports' SPEAK show on how far he thinks that the Steelers could go with Aaron Rodgers:

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"How far back on the bus is Aaron willing to sit? You're not the lead guy anymore. We have a formula here. The problem with the Steelers is that they've gotten into the playoffs, and they don't have a guy who can make the throws.

"All they need him to do is make those particular throws that they need a quarterback to make, that these guys haven't been able to make. So, if Aaron is willing to take a backseat and just play his role, they can go as far as the AFC Championship."

What Aaron Rodgers said about his future plans

After signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Aaron Rodgers, on Pat McAfee's show, confirmed that he signed a one-year deal because he won't play in the NFL after the upcoming season:

"I'm pretty sure this is it."

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He signed a one-year deal worth $13.65 million that could get up to $19.65 million with incentives.

About the author

Henrique Bulio is an NFL and College Football journalist at Sportskeeda and the Editor-in-Chief of Pro Football Brasil. He has a total 13 years of experience working in American Football, and playing quarterback at an amateur level in Brazil has given him a unique perspective of the game.

Henrique follows the Philadelphia Eagles closely due to Michael Vick's historic performance on MNF against the Washington Commanders in 2010. His all-time favorite player is Ed Reed; he believes that Reed is the greatest safety to ever play the game. Bill Belichick gets the nod as Henrique's favorite coach for coaching the Patriots to glory over two decades.

If Henrique were to be able to go back in time and watch one game, it would be Super Bowl XLIX, where the Patriots and the Seahawks played a complete, back-and-forth game that concluded with one of the biggest talking points in NFL history.

Technical deep dives are Henrique’s specialty, and he ensures never to use misleading words in his articles, since he himself consumes a lot of information off the web. He has had the privilege of interviewing Cairo Santos, Lamar Jackson, Jim Harbaugh, Sean McDermott, Bruce Arians, Matt LaFleur, among others.

Aside from football, Henrique likes to play poker and Counter-Strike.

Know More

Steelers Fans! Check out the latest Pittsburgh Steelers Schedule and dive into the Steelers Depth Chart for NFL Season 2024-25.

Edited by Bhargav