Michael Wilbon blasts Pittsburgh Steelers for approach with Aaron Rodgers

The Pittsburgh Steelers have consistently been tied to Aaron Rodgers as he decides on the next step of his career. Now, with the Steelers trading George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys, it’s natural to wonder how that might affect the legendary quarterback’s decision.

The topic came up on Get Up Wednesday morning. However, ESPN’s Michael Wilbon shut down the conversation, arguing that Rodgers isn’t good enough anymore, and because of that, the Steelers’ approach has been off.

“Greeny and I have been talking about me being in New York on my way to Boston for tonight for a few days,” Wilbon said. “I texted him, and I just said I would come on as long as the name Aaron Rodgers can not possibly come up. I’ve been here [since] 6:45 this morning, and Greeny says about this breaking news, so we’ll have to talk more about the most, now as great as he is, first ballot Hall of Fame, absolutely. There’s no doubt about that. He has now become the most overrated and overstated quarterback in the league.”

After landing in New York with the Jets, Aaron Rodgers had an eventful couple of years as a topic of conversation. On the field, however, he dealt with injuries and a decline in play from his once-MVP level of success. Now among the oldest quarterbacks who have played in the NFL, Michael Wilbon doesn’t understand why the Steelers would wait for him to make his decision.

“Last I checked, isn’t he going to be 42 years old some time this season? And is it like four or five years since Aaron Rodgers was any damn good? Yet, people talk about him — why don’t we just get John Elway out from the office? People talk about Aaron Rodgers as if we’re gonna get the 2010 version. No,” Wilbon said. “We’re not, and we don’t move on from it. So, this trade is going to be ‘Aaron Rodgers, Aaron Rodgers.’ If the Steelers — really, they’re gonna wait on this?”

Another issue Wilbon has with the Steelers’ approach is that it could cost them more than one season if Pittsburgh is putting off resetting their quarterback room. So, the ramifications could go beyond 2025.

“Even if he’s great for one year, what have you done? What have you done to your franchise, to your room, to your compensatory resources? What have you done? So, nobody just looks at it and says this guy,” Wilbon said. “He’s not Tom Brady. Because we would have seen that over the past three or four years and we haven’t. So, I know, here we go. The overstatement of Aaron Rodgers begins anew.”

In 2021, Aaron Rodgers won his last MVP award. Since then, he’s played one final season with the Green Bay Packers and two with the New York Jets. Along the way, his turnovers have increased and his passing yards have dropped.

“He’s had a Hall of Fame career. Guess what? That Hall of Fame career is over,” Wilbon said. “We’re the ones who don’t want to get over it. He sounds like he’s perfectly adjusting to what comes next. Go to the Derby. Go everywhere.”