Steelers Now
Former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Ben Roethlisberger believes that the 2025 season will be the first losing season under head coach Mike Tomlin, if the team is unable to secure the services of quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
On the latest episode of his Footbahlin podcast on Tuesday, Roethlisberger predicted the Steelers’ record with and without Rodgers, who remains a free agent with no update on when or if he might sign with the Steelers, just six days before the start of OTAs.
With Rodgers in the fold, Roethlisberger sees the Steelers as an 11-6 team. But if the quarterbacking is left to current starter Mason Rudolph, Roethlisberger sees the Steelers finishing 7-10, for the team’s first losing season with Tomlin at the helm.
But if the Steelers are able to sign Rodgers, as has been widely speculated, Roethlisberger sees them finishing in good shape at 11-6.
“HOF,” he said, referencing Rodgers’ future as a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. “That’ll get you a few more wins.”
A four-win difference between Rodgers and Rudolph is not crazy, though it should be noted that Rodgers went 6-12 as a starter over the last two seasons with the New York Jets, while Rudolph 4-4 eight starts between Pittsburgh in 2023 and the Tennessee Titans last season.
Still, Pittsburgh’s quarterback situation appears to be fairly dire if the team is unable to land Rodgers. Pro Football Focus placed Rudolph among the worst quarterbacks in the NFL current in a starting role earlier on Tuesday.
PFF suggested that the Steelers could start sixth-round rookie Will Howard instead of Rudolph, if they don’t end up landing Rodgers.
With OTAs starting on Tuesday, it’s unclear how much longer the Steelers will be wiling to be patient with Rodgers, who has said that personal issues have kept him from making a decision about his future.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Is Aaron Rodgers Key to Steelers Avoiding Losing Season?
