All-Pro Believes Steelers Have A Clear Path To A Deep Playoff Run If Team Can Get 1 Thing Right

The Pittsburgh Steelers have a lot of roster changes coming for the 2025 season. Both sides of the ball will see some shake up, as Minkah Fitzpatrick is no longer with the organization due to the acquisition of Jalen Ramsey and Jonnu Smith. There has also been some change at wide receiver as George Pickens is out and DK Metcalf is in. The biggest change of all comes at quarterback, as Aaron Rodgers will be lining up under center for Pittsburgh in 2025. His play is going to determine the trajectory of the team, and it is hard to tell what the ceiling of the 2025 Steelers could truly be.

Rodgers is coming off of a rough couple of seasons with the New York Jets, but he started to bounce back during the second half of the 2024 season. He suffered a devastating Achilles injury in Week 1 of the 2023 season, and at his age it is understandable that he wasn't quite himself at the start of 2024. He still managed to throw for over 3,800 yards and 28 touchdowns during the season, which is the type of production Pittsburgh could use from a starting quarterback.

Former All-Pro defensive lineman, Gerald McCoy, who is most notably known for his time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the 2010s, recently shared that he could see Pittsburgh going far in the postseason. He spoke about this on Speak, but he made it known that Rodgers needs to fit in with Pittsburgh in order to do so.

"How far back on the bus is Aaron Rodgers willing to sit?" McCoy asked. "You're not the lead guy anymore. We have a formula here. The problem with the Pittsburgh Steelers is they've gotten into the playoffs and they don't have a guy that can make the throws. All they need him to do is make those particular throws that they need a quarterback to make, that these guys haven't been able to make. So, if Aaron Rodgers is willing to take a backseat and just play his role, they can go as far as the AFC Championship."

McCoy's point is valid. Pittsburgh has been able to sneak into the playoffs during the last two seasons while having inconsistent play at quarterback. In 2023 the organization started three different players at quarterback and still clinched a playoff spot, and Pittsburgh got in during the 2024 season as well despite a four-game losing streak to end the year.

The Steelers have been able to win games, but the organization has struggled in the postseason. Pittsburgh has not won a playoff game since the 2016 season, which is something that has a lot of fans frustrated. McCoy suggests that drought could end in 2025, as long as Rodgers doesn't force things and plays within Pittsburgh's existing system.

Good quarterback play is needed to advance in the playoffs, and Pittsburgh hasn't had that recently. Rodgers has the abilities to bring that to the team when it is needed, but throughout the regular season he needs to be someone that can play within the offense while being okay with taking a backseat to the run game.

Steelers' Aaron Rodgers Should Be Willing To Do Anything To Win

Rodgers has had an amazing career, and he likely doesn't want it to end in failure. He hasn't won a playoff game himself since the 2020 season, and he would probably prefer for his career to end with some sort of a playoff run. Pittsburgh is in win-now mode, which is displayed by the roster moves made during the 2025 offseason. It will be interesting to monitor as the season goes along, but Rodgers could help the Steelers exceed expectations.