Steelers' Ben Roethlisberger Seriously Questions Aaron Rodgers And Mike Tomlin

The Pittsburgh Steelers went on the road to SoFi Stadium to face off against the Justin Herbert led Los Angeles Chargers. What began as a promising matchup quickly turned into a frustrating night for Pittsburgh as the Steelers squandered numerous opportunities and allowed the Chargers to take full advantage of the middle eight, the critical stretch at the end of the first half and the beginning of the second. 

Everything that could go wrong seemed to go wrong for the Steelers, with veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers turning in arguably the worst performance of his career. The offense struggled mightily, managing only three points for most of the game, which has led to growing questions about what has happened to an offense that was expected to look revitalized under Rodgers and DK Metcalf.

As the struggles mounted, criticism from both fans and former players began to intensify. One of the most notable voices to weigh in was former Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who addressed the team’s offensive confusion on his Footbahlin podcast Tuesday night. Roethlisberger, who knows as well as anyone how to operate a successful offense in Pittsburgh, expressed his concern about the team’s lack of direction. He admitted he is not sure what the Steelers’ offensive approach is supposed to be, pointing to how disjointed the play calling and execution have looked through the early part of the 2025 season.

"It just feels like, are we a running team or are we a passing team? Are we 50/50? I just can't see it right now," Roethlisberger said on his podcast on Tuesday night. "It's like we are running the ball with the multiple linemen set, the heavy, the extra linemen. That is our most successful run right now. Then we get down inside the 10 and we try to throw the ball every play. Why? Is there a reason? Is Aaron checking out of it? Is he seeing something and changing the play? Is coach just wanting to throw the ball down there because he feels like we can't run the ball down there?"

Roethlisberger also questioned the overall vision shared by Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith, Head Coach Mike Tomlin, and Rodgers. 

According to him, there appears to be a disconnect between what the Steelers are trying to establish schematically and how they are performing on the field. 

"I am just not really sure what is going on," Roethlisberger said. "It seems like every time Jaylen [Warren] touches the ball in that extra linemen set, it's a minimum three yards."

Steelers' Offense Now Costing The Team

The offense, which was expected to be built on physicality, efficiency, and veteran leadership, now appears to lack rhythm and identity. For a team that entered the season with playoff and even championship aspirations, the lack of cohesion between Smith, Tomlin, and Rodgers could quickly derail everything. 

The Steelers offense has now been the lagging part. It was the defense holding back the team, but now it’s Rodgers, as he appears to be struggling. If both sides can play complementary football, this team can be dangerous, but until then they are going to remain frustrating.

If you sat down with Arthur Smith, Mike Tomlin and Aaron Rodgers today, facing the realities of the 2025 season, what single question would you ask, and why does that question hold significance for how the season is unfolding? Let us know in the comments below! Please feel free to share your Steelers takes with me on X @anthonyghalkias and follow me. I will respond!

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