Steelers Now
Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports recently ranked the 2025 NFL starting quarterbacks by tiers, and Pittsburgh Steelers Aaron Rodgers was tabbed in the tier 4 category “Volatile Veterans” with Geno Smith, Trevor Lawrence, Tua Tagovalioa and Kyler Murray.”
“Rodgers’ luster may have dampened in is dismal two-year dabble with the New York Jets, but pairing his two decades of experience with the prestige of Mike Tomlin’s Pittsburgh Steelers promises good TV. The ex-Packers great can still sling it. But can his aging legs keep him upright in a town starved for a deep run?” Benjamin wrote.
Rodgers is coming off a season in which he threw for 3,987 yards, 28 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions, with a 63% completion rate and 90.5 passer rating. He was at his best late in the year, too, which is an encouraging sign for the Steelers. Of Rodgers’ 30 fastest top-speed plays last season, 17 came in Week 13 or later, per NFL Next Gen Stats.
Derrick Bell of Steelers Now posted a two-minute highlight reel of Rodgers throwing dots up the seam last season with the Jets. The arm strength is clearly still there.
2 minutes of Aaron Rodgers dots up the seam. pic.twitter.com/mmZu5k7vvq
— Derrick (@Steelers_DB) March 23, 2025
Steelers All-Pro cornerback Darius Slay is very bullish on the team’s signing of four-time NFL MVP. Slay won a Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles last season, so he knows what it takes to get to the top. He thinks Rodgers will put the Steelers in contention to compete with the league’s best teams.
“His arm strength’s still there,” Slay said on the Mina Kimes Show. “Of course, it’s not like he’s 20 [years old], but it’s still the fact that he can still get the ball to a position where the receiver can make a play on it. I think he’s a great addition because the fact that we got a younger guy that just got drafted from Ohio State, young guy, and he can really train him, help him get to where he’s at. And bringing [DK Metcalf] along so [Rodgers] don’t have to actually [go find a No. 1 receiver]. He got one that’s right there and that’s ready to go. It’s gonna be fun.”
At the age of 41, Rodgers is the oldest player in the NFL, but that doesn’t mean he can no longer sling it. Many have praised his arm strength, in addition to Slay.
“He’s still throwing the s*** out of the ball, honestly,” a veteran NFL offensive coach said, via Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. “He’s the best quarterback they’ve had since (Ben Roethlisberger). We will see how the body holds up, but I think he’s going to help them immensely.”
An unnamed AFC executive also praised Rodgers’ arm strength
“Look, the mobility is an issue, there’s no doubt,” the exec said. “But where he helps them is with the plus arm strength and the field vision from the pocket. They haven’t had that....
