Steelers Have A Big Offensive Problem Brewing For The 2025 Season

The Pittsburgh Steelers have a bleak outlook for the 2025 season. Many fans believe this will be the first losing season in Pittsburgh since the early-2000s, and a lot of that has to do with worries on the offensive side of the ball. The organization is still waiting to hear from veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers, but currently the starting quarterback on the roster is Mason Rudolph. It is the most important position in the entire sport, and Pittsburgh has not treated it that way throughout the 2025 offseason.

All signs point towards Rodgers eventually signing in Pittsburgh. Organized Team Activities (OTAs) begin on May 27th, while mandatory minicamp begins on June 10th. The quarterback is expected to miss OTAs but should be in Pittsburgh for minicamp to get acclimated within the offense, and with his new teammates. He will also need to get used to playing under Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith, and that could be a potential problem for the Steelers.

Team insider Mark Kaboly spoke about Rodgers running the offense in Pittsburgh during a recent episode of Kaboly + Mack, and the reporter has some concerns.

"Do you think the playbook matters to Aaron Rodgers?" Kaboly asked. "Because I really do believe that it is going to be Aaron Rodgers' playbook. He's going to call what he wants to call and that might be a little bit of a battle. I wanna believe that Aaron Rodgers is going to get a lot of carte blanche when it comes to this offense. What he wants to do and what he wants to call."

Smith doesn't have a great reputation when it comes to working with quarterbacks in Pittsburgh. It was reported that he and Russell Wilson did not have the best relationship during the 2024 season, and he took issue with the veteran changing plays at the line of scrimmage. That can't be the case if Rodgers signs. 

Rodgers has earned the right to do what he wants in the NFL, but it is not like he and Smith have worked together before. It is going to take a while for the two to get on the same page, which is why it is crucial that Rodgers signs in the near future to start that process. Kaboly spoke more about Rodgers, and how the quarterback will want to run the show on offense.

"I've heard rumblings of Rodgers wanting to call his own plays." Kaboly said. "I don't know how true that is, so just keep that in the back of your mind more than a report or anything to that fact. I mean, he's been in the league 20 years. He has four MVPs. You have to assume some of that was going to be that way."

The veteran quarterback will certainly be able to have his input in the offense, and it is probably something that has already been talked about amongst the coaching staff. Rodgers has always had some say in the offense he has been playing in, and that likely won't change with the Steelers. It could become an issue in 2025, so it is something to keep an eye on if he does indeed sign with the Steelers.

Steelers Have Already Met With Aaron Rodgers

Rodgers visited Pittsburgh just over two months ago, and it was said that the meeting had nothing to do with the financials of a potential deal. The quarterback was meeting with the coaching staff, and play-calling and audibles were likely discussed during the meetings. If there was an issue, or the two sides did not see eye-to-eye in any way, the potential deal likely would have already been axed. Since everything still seems like Rodgers will be signing in Pittsburgh, there might not be any issues.