Sep 7, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) warms up before the game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

How Far Can Aaron Rodgers Take Steelers?

Originally posted on Pittsburgh Steelers on SI
By Noah Strackbein | Last updated Sep 9, 2025 7:00 AM ET

The Pittsburgh Steelers are 1-0, but unlike seasons of the past few years, this start feels different. The team won a shootout, which is rare for the black and gold, and for the first time since Ben Roethlisberger, appear to have a quarterback who can put the team on his back when needed.

All summer long, the talk surrounding the Steelers was about their defense. T.J. Watt's extension, Cam Heyward wanting a pay raise, the trade of Jalen Ramsey and the signings of Darius Slay and Juan Thornhill. Not to mention the team using their first-round draft pick on defensive tackle Derrick Harmon.

But the defense struggled.

The offense didn't. Outside of one player on the offensive line, the Steelers offense looked great. DK Metcalf quickly showed that Pittsburgh hasn't had a true WR1 since Antonio Brown left, and Aaron Rodgers showed just how good a group can be when they have a Hall of Fame quarterback.

Calvin Austin, Jonnu Smith, Pat Freiermuth and even Ben Skowronek were part of a unit that took the season by storm, and has everyone fired up about what can come in 2025.

Overcoming the bad will be the hardest part. Luckily, only one side of the football has concerns worth stressing over. That side of the ball is also the offense, though.

Until Broderick Jones shows he's a capable starting left tackle in the NFL, Rodgers is in trouble. He was sacked three times due to Jones in Week 1, and the former first-round pick was clearly a weak spot for the team's offensive line.

The running game couldn't get going, either, which raises questions about if the group is strong enough to do much this season. Jaylen Warren wasn't the feature back, and Kenneth Gainwell was given more opportunity. Meanwhile, Kaleb Johnson did nothing.

On the defensive side of the ball, the entire group didn't play their best. Right up until the final drive of the game, the group wasn't good. But when it mattered most, they came up clutch.

It's way too early to stress about the defense, though. This group is elite on paper and has several future Hall of Famers. Right now, everyone should be focused on how they fix the line and the run game - then, they can starting concentrating on why Cole Holcomb didn't play.