The Pittsburgh Steelers are entering the 2025 NFL season with some very high expectations surrounding the team. Those expectations frankly exist every season as Steeler Nation is used to success on the football field in Pittsburgh, but this year is a little different. General Manager Omar Khan has made several high profile additions this offseason, and with that comes some added pressure for Head Coach Mike Tomlin to lead the Steelers to a playoff victory for the first time in nearly a decade.
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Mike Tomlin and Omar Khan speaking on the sidelines inside Acrisure Stadium.
A lot of the high expectations for this upcoming season will be on the offensive side of the ball, which hasn't been the case in recent years. The Steelers have gone through a few seasons now with questions at the quarterback position, as well as questionable supporting casts for their signal-caller. In 2025, the team signed Aaron Rodgers to lead the offense and traded for star wide receiver DK Metcalf. Those additions, paired with several additions to the offensive line over the previous two offseasons, make it time for all that investment to start paying dividends.
On the most recent episode of Footbahlin With Ben Roethlisberger, former Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger spoke on what he expects from Rodgers and the offense this upcoming season. He mentioned it'll likely all hinge on one key thing, the preciously mentioned offensive line.
"Can Aaron have enough time?" Roethlisberger asked about the Steelers' offense. "That is just a question I am going to ask, because if he can have enough time to throw the ball, you are going to see some crazy stuff happen."
The performance from the Steelers' offensive line has been a hot topic for a few seasons now, and for good reason. The team has invested multiple first-round picks, as well as a couple mid-round picks into securing a solid starting five. While there is some optimism around the group heading into the 2025 regular season, there are still some looming concerns as well.
Broderick Jones has moved back to left tackle where he played his entire football career prior to joining the NFL and the Steelers, and that is probably the biggest concern for the offensive line's performance as he has had an up and down first two seasons at right tackle.
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Steelers offensive tackle Broderick Jones stands on the sideline during 2025 training camp in Latrobe, PA.
Coming off an Achilles injury in 2023, and now entering his age 41 season, Rodgers has no doubt lost some of his mobility and ability to make plays on the run. Roethlisberger knows this, but also is well aware that Rodgers still has the arm talent to compete with the best quarterbacks in the league. He offered one last statement on the matter of protecting Rodgers.
"If they can give Aaron time, watch out," Roethlisberger explained.
Should Rodgers be protected well, the Steelers' offense has no reason it shouldn't be one of the best in the league. If that unit were to fall flat yet again in 2025, there will be several members of the coaching staff and front office that shouldn't feel comfortable with their job security.
Steelers' Offensive Line Might Have The Ultimate Backup Plan With Veteran Addition
Offensive line play will very likely determine the level of success the Steelers' offense will have in 2025. Should they stumble out of the gate, there will be pressure for changes to be made quickly to address it.
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Steelers' Andrus Peat gets ready to block during his time playing tackle for the New Orleans Saints.
Earlier in August, the Steelers made a move to sign veteran offensive lineman Andrus Peat, who is a three-time Pro Bowler, and gives the team a proven veteran presence off the bench should the starters struggle throughout the early part of the season.
Despite just signing with the team late into training camp, Peat stood out in his preseason appearance and gained the praise from former Steelers offensive lineman Trai Essex for his technique and approach in the game. Whether or not that performance will result in success for the Steelers on the field in 2025 or not will largely be based on the play of the team's starters, but at a minimum, hopefully that can help the younger linemen on the team develop their game as well.
Do you expect the Steelers' offense to return to a top tier unit in 2025? Let us know in the comments below!
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