The Pittsburgh Steelers are officially all aboard the Aaron Rodgers train for the 2025 season. He has already reported to mandatory minicamp, and he's set for training camp come late July. Some fans are still concerned about how age and regression will affect him in his likely final year, but the only way to truly find out is to wait and see what happens. At the very least, he will be given infinite chances to prove that he has some gas left in the tank.
Sebastian Foltz / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers prepares to make a throw as the team works out during 2025 mandatory minicamp at the UPMC Sports Complex in Pittsburgh, PA.
While making a recent appearance on The Herd with Colin Cowherd, former Super Bowl MVP Julian Edelman spoke about some of those concerns, but he also brought up a point that goes beyond the Steelers' performance entirely.
"I think it's going to be an exciting season," Edelman said. "They're bringing one of the greatest quarterbacks of our generation into a cornerstone franchise with the Steelers. I'm going to watch every game. I can't wait to see it. It's a great move; it's great for the league."
Even though Edelman repeatedly said that Rodgers and the Steelers won't win the Super Bowl, he is still intrigued enough to watch all 17 games that they play. For reference, he spent his entire career with the New England Patriots and has absolutely no affiliation to the Black and Gold or the city of Pittsburgh, but the idea of a future Hall of Famer playing for a historical franchise is still enticing enough to bring eyeballs to the team.
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Steelers try to tackle Julian Edelman in a 2018 contest against the New England Patriots.
If a former player is excited about a current player and a team that he has no affiliation with, it's safe to say that numerous fans will be tuning in to see how this season works, even if they're not members of Steeler Nation. The odds of them winning the Super Bowl are slim to none, especially in a stacked conference like the AFC, but there are so many possibilities that come from this signing.
Steelers' Outlook On 2025 Is All Over The Place
Rodgers has been repeatedly compared to his predecessor, Brett Favre. Those comparisons will keep up if he has a great 2025 season and proves that his time with the New York Jets was just a fluke. Watching Rodgers sling the ball around to the likes of DK Metcalf and Pat Freiermuth would be quite the spectacle, and everyone will be watching to see how far he can take Pittsburgh with his second wind.
On the other end, it could turn into a total disaster, like with the Jets. It could be a massive trainwreck that forces the Steelers to dismantle and try to build back the respect they lost from that season.
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Former New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers meets with Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin after a game in Pittsburgh.
No matter what happens, whether it's good, bad, or indifferent, everyone will be paying close attention to the Steelers in 2025 and seeing what happens. Rodgers has had a very storied past full of highs and lows, praise and hate, and everything in between. His recent drama is well-documented, and his unusual personality is part of the reason this is such an entertaining move.
If a small-market team like the Arizona Cardinals or Jacksonville Jaguars had Rodgers, it's likely a lot less people would care. They would just expect an aging player coming off of a bad season and going to historically struggling teams to not work out. With a team as historic and well-respected as the Steelers, a player like Rodgers suddenly becomes must-see TV. That's why Edelman will be watching all the Steelers games, and so will many outsiders.
What do you think about Edelman saying Rodgers being a Steeler is great for the league? How do you think the season will turn out? Let us know in the comments or on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.
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