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A former Super Bowl champion explained why Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin wanted to sign Aaron Rodgers. This offseason saga is officially over, and Pittsburgh has its answer at quarterback after letting Russell Wilson and Justin Fields leave in free agency. The four-time MVP is a Steeler and is heading into a season where the franchise expects to contend for a championship. Rodgers is looking to rejuvenate his career after a trying tenure with the New York Jets.
However, the Jets are not the Steelers in terms of their culture and overall roster. Willie Colon, who played under Tomlin and won a Super Bowl with him in 2008, got honest on an episode of Talkin’ Ball about the franchise’s reason for taking a flier on Rodgers.
“The Steelers realize they have to be able to compete in that division. Last year, when they lost their last five games, they lost to MVP-type quality quarterbacks. You’re talking about Jalen Hurts, Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson. And they looked at Russell Wilson and realized they don’t have anybody on their roster like that. So they now are in a position where, ‘We have this defense that’s young and competing, that can fight. We have enough offensively. We just don’t have that killer, that elite quarterback.”
Mike Tomlin has been a beacon of stability since he took over in 2007. The 53-year-old is a future Hall of Famer and has not had a losing season in his decorated career. The Steelers have made the playoffs in four out of the past five years, but have not won a game in the postseason since 2016. This roster is built to win now with a vaunted defense and some talented weapons on offense. And to be competitive, the franchise needs to be more stable at the quarterback position, which hasn’t been the case since Ben Roethlisberger retired.
Overall, time will tell whether Rodgers can still regain his status as one of the league’s elite quarterbacks. The 41-year-old has nothing left to prove in his all-time great career, but still believes he’s not ready to hang up the cleats yet. Pittsburgh has a history of getting the best out of eccentric personalities in the locker room. With a daunting schedule ahead of them and a crowded division, the Steelers better hope Rodgers can channel his past form.
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