The Pittsburgh Steelers had their first training camp practice ahead of the 2025 season on Thursday, and it was the first time fans got to see newly-acquired quarterback Aaron Rodgers participating in team drills. The quarterback seemed to be shaking off some rust as his first pass of the day was intercepted, but that is expected as he is facing one of the best defenses in the NFL on a daily basis. Overall, it is hard to take much from the first practice of training camp, but new acquisitions have Pittsburgh's eyes set on competing within the AFC.
Alysa Rubin / Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) practices at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex during the 2025 minicamp, Tuesday June 10, 2025.
There is good reason to be skeptical about the 2025 Steelers due to the sheer amount of roster turnover, but Pittsburgh brought in a ton of talent. Defensively, the additions of Jalen Ramsey and Darius Slay could be huge in the secondary, as could the young guys up front that were selected in the 2025 NFL Draft.
The offense has been in question over the last several seasons for Pittsburgh, but Rodgers seems to have faith in his unit. He spoke to the media after practice on Thursday, and he shared that he has high hopes for his team going into 2025.
Aaron Rodgers says any given year there are usually 6-8 teams capable of winning the Super Bowl, maybe 10-12 some seasons, and he believes the Steelers are one of them pic.twitter.com/w5WqV1I8gG
— Brian Batko (@BrianBatko) July 24, 2025
The veteran quarterback feels as though the Steelers should be considered contenders for the Super Bowl on paper, but it is all going to come down to coaching and execution. The roster is good, but that doesn't mean anything if the team cannot perform during games, or if Pittsburgh goes through another late-season collapse like it did in 2024.
Getty Images
Former New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers puts on his cap during an away game.
The Steelers definitely have some wild cards when it comes to how the team can succeed in 2025. The offensive line is one of them, as that group is going to have to take a big step forward as a whole in order for the team to reach expectations. Rodgers is going to have to play like he did with the New York Jets at the end of the 2024 season, and the unit is going to have to be consistent.
The Steelers have been plagued by slow starts on offense, and that is something that needs to be avoided in 2025.In order for Pittsburgh to set itself up to win the Super Bowl, it is going to have to take care of things within the AFC North. The Baltimore Ravens are the favorites to win the division, while the Cincinnati Bengals have one of the most potent offenses in the league.
The Steelers will have to be competitive against those two teams in order to keep pace in the North, and in turn, set themselves up for any postseason success. The Steelers have to find a way to avoid the seven-seed in the AFC, which is something they have been stuck with in the past two seasons.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) practices at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex during the 2025 minicamp, Tuesday June 10, 2025.
Steelers' Rodgers Wants To End His Career On A High Note
The past two seasons with New York have been rough for Rodgers. He barely played in 2023 as he suffered a devastating season-ending injury, and he was a bit rusty to begin the 2024 season. He played well down the stretch, but it was far too late for the Jets to salvage their season. He has only ever played in one Super Bowl, when he beat the Steelers as a member of the Green Bay Packers.
He has already stated he will probably be retiring after the 2025 season, and ending his career while hoisting the Lombardi Trophy would further cement his Hall Of Fame resume.
What do you think about Rodgers' aspirations for the Steelers? Let us know in the comments below!
#SteelerNation
