Why former Steelers star says Aaron Rodgers signing is 'worst-case scenario' for fans

After months of "will he or won't he" chatter, the Pittsburgh Steelers confirmed on Thursday evening that they plan to sign free-agent Aaron Rodgers to a one-year contract, pending a physical.

During a Thursday appearance on "SportsCenter," former Steelers safety and current NFL analyst Ryan Clark suggested that the club will ultimately regret handing the keys to its offense to Rodgers for the 2025 season. 

"This is the worst-case scenario for Pittsburgh Steelers fans," Clark said about Pittsburgh signing Rodgers, as shared by Troy Montgomery of Steelers Depot. "It continues to keep you mired in mediocrity. Will this team be better? Have they gotten better in the quarterback room? Absolutely. Will they contend for that championship that Pittsburgh Steelers people and fans and organization think is the standard? No, they won't."

Clark was referencing how the Steelers haven't earned a single playoff win under head coach Mike Tomlin since the 2016 season. Most recently, veteran Russell Wilson helped the 2024 Steelers reach the postseason by winning six of his first seven starts after he missed the opening six weeks of the campaign due to a lingering calf issue. However, Pittsburgh then endured a five-game losing streak that lasted through the wild-card round of the playoffs with Wilson in the lineup. 

According to Pro Football Reference, Wilson ended this past regular season ranked 24th in the NFL among qualified players with a 51.3 adjusted QBR and 14th with a 95.6 passer rating. To compare, Rodgers was 28th with a 48.0 adjusted QBR and tied for 20th with a 90.5 passer rating. 

That said, there are reasons to believe the Steelers will have a better version of Rodgers than what the New York Jets had throughout the 2024 campaign. The 41-year-old reportedly dealt with a nagging hip problem, injuries to both his knees, a low ankle sprain and a serious hamstring issue last fall coming off the torn Achilles he suffered in September 2023. ESPN's Seth Walder noted that 17 of Rodgers' "30 fastest top-speed plays last season" came in Week 13 or later. 

As Clark acknowledged, whatever Rodgers is at this stage of his Hall of Fame career is likely an upgrade for Pittsburgh over longtime backup Mason Rudolph. Nevertheless, Clark doesn't see Rodgers achieving much more than what Wilson accomplished in his one season with the club. 

"They'll be fighting for a wild-card spot," Clark added about the Rodgers-led Steelers. "They'll probably be home Week 1 of the playoffs and again be looking for a franchise quarterback. If you told me you're gonna pair one of this era's greatest coaches with one of this era's greatest quarterbacks, I'd expect greatness. That is not what we'll get. Maybe six years ago, but not now."

As of Friday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook had the Steelers at +110 odds to notch over 8.5 wins during the upcoming season. Such forecasts indicate certain insiders think Rodgers won't be able to turn the clock back with Pittsburgh in what could be his final campaign as an active NFL player.