Steelers' Aaron Rodgers Gets Harsh Reality Check From Nick Wright Before Bengals Matchup

The Pittsburgh Steelers are 6-2, riding a four-game winning streak and heading into a first-place showdown with the Cincinnati Bengals. That has not stopped the criticism of Aaron Rodgers. FOX Sports host Nick Wright took aim at the 42-year-old quarterback this week, arguing that Rodgers has gotten worse across the board in his second season in Pittsburgh. Wright believes that makes the Steelers, not the Bengals, the team with more to prove on Sunday night.

Wright made his case on FS1's First Things First, and the show shared the clip on X, where it has been viewed more than 76,000 times. He did not hold back.

"Aaron Rodgers, who we did not think was lighting the world on fire last year, is worse in everything this year. If he is this, I don't think that's enough," Wright said.

It is a harsh take on a quarterback whose team is tied for the best record in the division. But the numbers do give Wright some ammunition.

According to ESPN, Rodgers has completed 60.8% of his passes this season for 1,871 yards, 13 touchdowns and six interceptions in eight games. Last year, he completed 65.7% of his passes for 3,322 yards, 24 touchdowns and seven interceptions in 16 games.

Dig a little deeper and the trend holds up in most areas. His completion rate is down about five points. His yards per attempt have slipped from 6.7 to 6.5, and his passer rating has dropped from 94.8 to 86.2. He has already thrown six interceptions in half a season after throwing seven all of last year. He has also been sacked 23 times in eight games, compared with 29 sacks in 16 games in 2025.

Not every number is going the wrong way, though. Rodgers' QBR is actually up slightly, from 44.4 last season to 47.8 this year, and his touchdown rate is nearly identical. The bigger difference is the team around him. The Steelers have leaned on one of the league's best rushing attacks, led by Jaylen Warren, and they do not need Rodgers to carry the offense the way he did in Green Bay.

This is not a new position for Wright. Back in May, he said he was very pessimistic about Rodgers heading into 2026, questioning whether his arm could still carry an offense. Eight games in, he clearly feels the tape has backed him up, even if the standings tell a different story.

That also explains why Wright's criticism is about more than one stat line. His point is that the Steelers have won with defense and the run game, and that a passing attack this inconsistent may not be enough against the best teams in January. 

The Steelers have not won a playoff game since the 2016 season, and that drought is the bar this team will ultimately be measured against, no matter how good the regular-season record looks. SteelerNation has covered some of those issues, including an insider's look at Rodgers' role in the red zone struggles. The Steelers also stood pat at the trade deadline instead of adding another receiver, which puts even more pressure on the current group.

There is another side to it. Rodgers threw for 292 yards and three touchdowns when the Steelers beat the Bengals 30-27 in Week 3, and he is one win away from a remarkable milestone on the NFL's all-time wins list. Head Coach Mike McCarthy has built an offense that asks Rodgers to manage games and take his shots when they are there, and that formula has produced six wins in eight tries.

Steelers Face Huge Test On Sunday Night Against The Bengals

Sunday night is a chance to answer the critics. The Bengals have scored at least 31 points in each of their last four games behind Joe Burrow, so the Steelers may need more from their quarterback than a steady handoff game. If the run game stalls and Pittsburgh has to throw, the spotlight will be squarely on Rodgers.

A big night in Cincinnati would go a long way toward quieting Wright and the rest of the doubters. A rough one would only give them more to talk about. Either way, the Steelers will learn a lot about where their passing game stands when it matters most.

This story was produced with the help of AI and reviewed by SteelerNation editors.

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