Analysis: Taking a look at the Steelers offense with Aaron Rodgers finally in the fold

Ray Fittipaldo, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Jun 6, 2025

Published in Football

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PITTSBURGH — When Aaron Rodgers steps under center to take his first snap as Steelers quarterback, he won't be the only new face in the starting lineup. More than half of the starting offense — six of the 11 players — will be first-time Steelers starters.

Rodgers and DK Metcalf are new to the Steelers altogether. Rodgers comes to the Steelers after spending the past two seasons with the Jets, while Metcalf, who played his first six NFL seasons with the Seahawks, takes over as the No. 1 receiver.

Skill-position players in new roles include Jaylen Warren taking over as the starting running back for Najee Harris; second-year receiver Roman Wilson likely ascending to a starting job after missing his rookie season due to injuries; and fourth-year receiver Calvin Austin III becoming a full-time starter, too. (One caveat: general manager Omar Khan could acquire another receiver in the next few weeks to compete with them.)

The only new starter on the offensive line will be Troy Fautanu, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 2 last year. He'll play right tackle, while Broderick Jones moves over to the left side. The interior of the offensive line remains intact with center Zach Frazier and Isaac Seumalo and Mason McCormick returning at guard.

The most important decision for coach Mike Tomlin and offensive coordinator Arthur Smith is what the Steelers' offensive identity will be.

Four of the five offensive linemen are 25 or younger, and three of them were first- or second-round draft picks in the past three years. The Steelers would like to build their offense around that core group of players and develop a unit that plays a physical brand of football.

On the other hand, they now have one of the NFL's most accomplished quarterbacks ever stepping into the fold along with some talented receivers who can make the passing game more explosive.

For the Steelers to make a playoff run, they'll have to be able to do both.

Next week's minicamp will be the first peek into how it will all look, but this summer in Latrobe should be fun. The development of the offense at training camp will make this one of the most interesting camps in quite some time.

Signing Rodgers means the Steelers could go 11-6 and make the playoffs for a third consecutive season. That's the best-case scenario for the Steelers.

The worst-case scenario is Rodgers playing like Joe Namath with the Los Angeles Rams or Johnny Unitas struggling through a shoulder injury in his final season with the San Diego Chargers. It's easy to forget Namath on hobbled knees or Unitas suffering the indignity of being benched, but it's a reminder aging quarterbacks don't always exit the game gracefully.

If it's the best-case scenario that unfolds, the big question then is whether Rodgers will be good enough to lead the Steelers to a postseason victory, something that has eluded them since they advanced to the AFC championship game following the 2016 season.

Another Super Bowl run would be the storybook ending for the 41-year old Rodgers, but for Tomlin and the Steelers, anything short of a playoff win will be a disappointment.

That's why the Steelers were willing to wait 2 1/2 months for an answer from Rodgers. All along, he represented their best chance to win a playoff game.

The Steelers won 10 games with Justin Fields and Russell Wilson playing quarterback last season. Adding a Super Bowl champion and four-time NFL MVP should be worth at least one more victory in the regular season.

What the Steelers have been missing in the playoffs is a quarterback who can keep pace with the NFL's best offenses. The Steelers haven't scored more than 21 points in any of their past three playoff defeats against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs, Josh Allen and the Bills and Lamar Jackson and the Ravens.

Rodgers is a Steeler for one reason and one reason only — to give the Steelers a puncher's chance against what should be another loaded AFC playoff field.