THE STEELERS’ AARON RODGERS COULDN’T PREVAIL AGAINST HIS OLD TEAM, THE GREEN BAY PACKERS, OCT. 26. GREEN BAY WON, 35-25. (PHOTO BY MARLON MARTIN)
Beware of the backseat drivers
After 2022, the legendary Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger retired, creating a void in the Steelers’ QB room. Prior to Big Ben’s retirement, the team drafted University of Pittsburgh QB Kenny Pickett in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. That decision wasn’t a great choice to say the least.
After spending two tumultuous seasons with the Black and Gold, the wheels on the Pickett bandwagon began to fall off. On March 16, 2024, Pickett basically demanded that he either sit in the first chair in the Steelers QB room or be traded as the result of the Steelers signing Super Bowl-winning QB Russell Wilson. Wilson said the following about putting on the Black and Gold: “Super grateful to be here, obviously to be a Pittsburgh Steeler.”
At that point, the Steelers may have possibly concluded that the ego of Kenny Pickett was not worth the trouble and far outweighed his skill set so…. the Steelers, being the benevolent team that they are, rang the bell of freedom for Mr. Pickett and sent him off to the team representing the birthplace of brotherly love, the Philadelphia Eagles.
Around the same time, Pittsburgh also acquired former first-round draft pick of the Chicago Bears, QB Justin Fields, presumably just to provide depth in their quarterback room. Many pundits and people created and sustained the narrative that Justin Fields lacked basic football intellect and that Russell Wilson was all but washed up. From the outset, this seemed like an experiment gone wrong and after just one chaotic year, both players were put on a Concorde jet and shipped to Gotham City. Fields was shipped to the New York Jets and Wilson to the New York Giants. By the way, did I mention that Aaron Rodgers was signed by the Jets on April 23, 2023? Also, due to an Achilles injury, he only played in 6 games for the Jets in 2023. This was Rodgers’ take on his 2023 injury: “Before even an MRI, I knew what happened,” Rodgers said on the Pat McAfee show. “I knew I tore my Achilles. I had popped my calf a few times… and it was not that sensation, so I knew that this was not a good situation. I definitely have some odds stacked against me based on age, but I like it. Stack all the odds up against me and see what happens.”
“Meanwhile,” as the late-night television show host Stephen Colbert might say: The Steelers have some odds stacked against them regarding winning their division or even making the playoffs with Aaron Rodgers under center. In all probability, we don’t have to wait to see what’s happening because it is already happening right in front of us: unless of course you are a member of the Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder scouting combine.
“Meanwhile”…the sports world and the “college of coaches” embarked on an Aaron Rodgers pilgrimage after he was jettisoned by the Jets to parts unknown, and they waited patiently for him to reveal where he was going to land. On June 5, 2025, after months of speculation, the wait was over when the chimney at the residence of Aaron Rodgers began to emit a stream of white smoke, indicating that Rodgers had finally chosen the team that he was going to grace with his immeasurable talent.
Based on what I saw from the “game of infamy” between the Steelers and Green Bay Packers on October 26, 2025, Jordan Love, the youthful QB that Aaron Rodgers supposedly mentored when they both were members of the Packers, played a spectacular game. In my opinion, it appears as if Aaron Rodgers was the one who needed to be mentored. Oh, I almost forgot that Brett Favre once said in regard to his successor, Rodgers, in mentoring him, that he “wasn’t there to be a babysitter” or something to that effect.
As far as the Steelers’ offensive game plan goes, did you notice the demeanor of the Steelers Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith and Aaron Rodgers on the sideline? There were occasions when the cameras were focused on the sidelines; very seldom were they seen huddling together with iPads in hand, strategizing or making in-game adjustments.
There seemed to be little or no adjustments by the Steelers coaching staff. Ex-Buffalo Bills GM Doug Whaley said it was like they might be saying: “Lets keep doing what we’re doing and don’t worry about it.”
Aaron Rodgers appears to be a substitute for Arthur Smith as a part-time OC or maybe Rodgers is the real OC? There are many hardened layers to this story and it might take a jackhammer just to get through all of the layers.
At his post-game press conference, Aaron Rodgers was sporting a Stevenson’s Ranchers hat on. However, he had no Steelers gear on or any apparel to represent the team. He looked as if he was embarrassed to display the Steelers brand.
The Steelers had a running game. So what. They controlled the ball just to kick field goals. The Steelers were kicking field goals, and the Packers were scoring touchdowns. The Steelers played ball control for the opposing offense because once you fall behind, you have to conserve time on the clock, at least until the team ties the score or takes the lead.
There are many coaches that don’t realize that repetition may not always equal perfection, but many times may breed stagnation. It is very easy for opposing defenses or offenses to prepare for a team or teams the same way.
Hey now, this is a shout out for all of the Yinzers that drove Antonio Brown, George Pickens and LeVeon Bell out of Pittsburgh. You should be reprimanded for failing “Stupid 101.” The punishment for that abject and moronic behavior should be the following: Choose a Wednesday or a Thursday night in mid-January. Pack 60,000 of the Yinzer nation to come and sit in Acrisure Stadium for 60 minutes. Make them consume Iron City Beer slushies and “blackened pierogies.” Then sit in the cold and repeat to each other: “We take this oath to remain fans only and will not under any circumstances attempt to be coaches or general managers.”