Steelers Now
NFL legend Chad ‘Ochocinco’ Johnson explains why quarterback Aaron Rodgers will be on his best behavior with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Pittsburgh Steelers officially signed quarterback Aaron Rodgers on Saturday, but they have since received a lot of criticism for doing so due to the 41-year-old’s me-first attitude. NFL legend Chad ‘Ochocinco’ Johnson doesn’t think fans need to worry about that, though.
“I think [Aaron Rodgers is] not going to cause any problems because his leash is short,” Johnson said on his “Nightcap” podcast. “If you mess things up in Pittsburgh, where’s your next destination?”
Johnson has a point. Rodgers’ options this offseason seemed to be down to either playing for the Steelers or retiring following a very disappointing 2024 campaign in which he led the New York Jets to a 5-12 finish.
That isn’t to say Rodgers doesn’t have any good football left in him, but he looked far from his four-time NFL MVP self while completing 368 of his 584 passes (63%) for 3,897 yards, 28 touchdowns and 11 interceptions last season.
“You don’t have the leverage you once had — where you were sought after, where you were one of the best in the league,” Johnson continued. “You’re still living off that past resume.”
Only time will tell if Rodgers will be able to turn back Father Time to help Pittsburgh finally end its eight-year playoff win drought and end his illustrious career on a good note.
However, he’s set up to do just that now two years removed from his Achilles injury and in a much more stable organization. The Steelers are, at least, hoping that’s the case after remaining patient for Rodgers all offseason.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: NFL Legend Explains Why Aaron Rodgers Won’t ‘Cause Any Problems’ for Steelers
