Steelers' Aaron Rodgers Destroys DeShon Elliott With Great Use Of Massive TE Darnell Washington

When the Pittsburgh Steelers first made it clear they were recruiting Aaron Rodgers to be their quarterback for the 2025 season, Steelers safety DeShon Elliott did not like the idea. Coming off the 2024 season, Elliott took to social media to troll the move, suggesting the team should leave Rodgers behind at the retirement home. The comment drew plenty of attention from fans and media, raising questions about how Rodgers would be received in the locker room. While many saw it as playful banter, it still highlighted some skepticism about the move.

A few weeks later, Elliott and Rodgers crossed paths and had an awkward exchange. Reports indicated that while the initial meeting was tense, the two were able to talk things through and move forward without lingering issues. Rodgers focused on preparing for his first season in Pittsburgh, while Elliott shifted his attention back to anchoring the secondary. Both men made it clear that the incident would not be a distraction heading into the season.

According to Steelers insider Jeff Hathhorn detailed on 93.7 The Fan on Wednesday, Rodgers has been making a strong impression during training camp. He has been especially effective at using tight end Darnell Washington to create mismatches against the defense. Washington’s size and reach have made him a dangerous target, and Rodgers has been able to exploit that advantage in practice. Elliott has often been on the receiving end of those plays, a reminder that Rodgers still has the ability to challenge even the most confident defenders.

"I think Aaron Rodgers is the first quarterback that really knows how to use Darnell Washington," Hathhorn said on Wednesday on The Fan. "We see another alley-oop to him, and he just schooled DeShon Elliott. I mean, just physically with his size put himself in a position where there was no way that anybody else was gonna make the play but him. Those types of things I think we're starting to see with the offense."

While it was just a handful of plays where Rodgers was getting the better of Elliott, it is still encouraging to hear that the four-time league MVP is finding ways to involve Washington. When the Steelers drafted the 6'7" tight end, many knew what he would bring to the offense in terms of physicality and elite blocking ability. The bigger question was what he could contribute in the passing game.

Washington has not been heavily involved as a receiver in his first two seasons, but when targeted, he has left Steelers fans wanting to see more. He has been targeted just 35 times in his NFL career, but with Rodgers now in town, many expect he could surpass that number in the 2025 season alone. 

Steelers Have An Elite Tight End Room For The 2025 Season

His combination of size, strength, and catch radius could make him a nightmare matchup for opposing defenses if the Steelers choose to utilize him more frequently through the air. It sounds like Rodgers is already putting that formula together.

Of course, the only challenge for Washington is that the tight end room is already loaded. The Steelers have Pat Freiermuth, Jonnu Smith, and Washington, giving them one of the deepest and most versatile tight end groups in the league. The trio should provide Rodgers with multiple high-quality options in both the passing and running game, setting up the potential for a dominant 2025 season.

When Rodgers first got to the Steel City. He made some big comments about how impressed he was with Washington. At one point, pundits didn't think Washington needed more targets, but Rodgers views it differently. 

Do you want to see Rodgers target Washington a lot in the 2025 season? Let us know in the comments below! Please feel free to share your Steelers takes with me on X @anthonyghalkias and toss a follow.

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