NFL Analyst Abruptly Changes Opinion Steelers' Aaron Rodgers Pursuit

Should Steelers fans match his excitement? According to Florio, his talent demands it.

“Rodgers would instantly upgrade the position, dramatically,” Florio opined. “He would position them to make the playoffs — and to win when they get there for the first time since the 2016 season.

“It’s that simple. Rodgers makes the Steelers better. And Rodgers is the best option they have for 2025.”

Rodgers can reasonably be considered an upgrade over Russell Wilson, but the degree in which Florio suggests feels ambitious. The two logged similar stats on a rate basis, albeit with Wilson playing six fewer regular seasons games, and the advanced stats tell the same story.

By expected points added per play, Rodgers ranked 19th among qualified quarterbacks; Wilson ranked 21st. By success rate, Rodgers ranked 24th compared to Wilson’s 26th. And by completion percentage over expected, Wilson dwarfed him, placing sixth. Only Cooper Rush and Anthony Richardson fared worse in this metric than Rodgers among 32 qualified passers.

Throw in the inherent detriment Rodgers is to any run game given his immobility and pre-snap audibles and the gap between the two continues to shrink.

“We know. Rodgers took a heel turn in 2021,” Florio said. “He more than dabbles into conspiracy theories. He relitigates stale controversies. He can be exhausting. He can be insufferable.

“But he’s still a very good quarterback. So don’t hate it, Steelers fans. Embrace it.”

Perhaps Rodgers has one more strong year left in him, dormant since his days in Green Bay. The more likely outcome, though, is that he isn’t meaningfully better than Wilson, making the Steelers good enough to compete for a playoff spot and perpetual underdogs against virtually any team with a true star quarterback.

We won’t tell you how to root for your favorite team, but if you’re playing the probabilities, enthusiasm should come close to wherever it was in 2024.