Former NFL executive addresses popular Steelers, Aaron Rodgers narrative

Individuals who cover the Pittsburgh Steelers have insisted throughout the offseason that the club will not pursue New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers because he "doesn’t feel like a fit" for a team that features run-first leaders in head coach Mike Tomlin and offensive coordinator Arthur Smith.

Former NFL player/executive and current ESPN analyst Louis Riddick seemingly disagrees with those takes. 

"They need each other," Riddick said about the Steelers and Rodgers during Wednesday's edition of ESPN's "Get Up" program, as shared by Ross McCorkle of Steelers Depot. "As great as [Rodgers] is, and as many great ideas as he has, and he actually is a guy who has huge football IQ...he needs a guy like [Tomlin] to say, 'Hey, look man. You can't do this by yourself. You can't be coach, GM, offensive coordinator and quarterback all at the same time. I got that part. I'll handle that part. You just level up our offense.'"

Logic suggests the Steelers would've already re-signed either current starter Russell Wilson or backup Justin Fields if the club loved the idea of running it back with one of them. Chatter about Pittsburgh possibly acquiring Matthew Stafford from the Los Angeles Rams essentially disappeared following Valentine's Day. 

Meanwhile, Rodgers may find that a Steelers team coming off a playoff appearance is the best realistic landing spot available to him ahead of the 2025 season unless he's fine with being a bridge option for a rebuilding franchise such as the Tennessee Titans or New York Giants. 

"I would hope he would wanna go out with a bang," Riddick added about Rodgers. "He would wanna go out somewhere that really does...put that cherry on the top of what is a Hall of Fame career. And Pittsburgh's the kind of place you would wanna do that."

ESPN analyst Bill Barnwell and Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer think Rodgers could serve as a useful game manager in Smith's offense as long as the 41-year-old is willing to be a team-first player under Tomlin. One wonders if Wilson and Fields remain on track to become free agents when the new league year opens on March 12 in part because Tomlin views Rodgers as an upgrade at the position for 2025.