Steelers Now
It took just a little bit longer than anyone could have ever expected but the Pittsburgh Steelers finally have their starting quarterback for next season. Aaron Rodgers, four-time league MVP, will be headed to the South Side to ink a contract with the club before mandatory minicamp gets underway next week.
At 41-years old, he’s looking to end his career on a high note and help the Steelers regain some of their postseason glory that has faded over the past decade. Over the course of his career, the Cal product has accumulated a plethora of individual accolades, making him a sure-fire first ballot Hall of Famer when it’s all said and done.
But he’s not done just yet!
Mike Tomlin’s new field general is still climbing the leaderboards of several pertinent categories, which will put NFL historians and football fans on Rodgers watch once more.
Even in an underwhelming campaign with the New York Jets in 2024, Rodgers still tossed 28 touchdown passes, bringing his career total to 503. He’s currently in sole possession of 5th place on the NFL’s all-time leaderboard, trailing his former teammate and fellow Green Bay Packers legend Brett Favre. Knowing the history between these two, it’s easy to imagine this moment getting a ton of coverage on a national level. With six more touchdown passes next fall, he’ll move into fourth place, trailing only Peyton Manning (539), Drew Brees (571), and Tom Brady (649). Barring another early-season injury, accomplishing this feat should be a breeze.
Rodgers can also crack another top-five list by throwing for 1,136 passing yards next regular season. The signal caller that currently holds down that slot? None other than Ben Roethisberger, another all-time great that played in more games than anyone else in franchise history. With these two playing in different conferences and a couple of untimely injuries, it felt like we were robbed of some epic duels between two gunslingers in their prime. Nonetheless, this could create a pretty cool moment for the fan base, especially if Rodgers is able to surpass him during a home game.
The 21-year vet is the NFL’s active leader with wins as a starting quarterback, with a whopping 153 victories, good for sixth all-time. Ironically enough, here’s another chance for Rodgers to crack a top-five list and another steel city parallel, with Roethlisberger holding down the fifth spot with 165 wins. It would take an outstanding season to reach those heights in 2025, but the real reason that Pittsburgh is bringing him on board is to make one last postseason run. The Steelers are currently in the midst of their longest drought in franchise history, and it’s a black cloud hanging over a proud organization. Rodgers’ 11 postseason wins are tied for 9th most all-time among quarterbacks, but his last victory came in 2020. Both sides are desperate for different outcomes.
Most Steelers fans have probably...
