Former player shares bold take about Steelers, Aaron Rodgers rumors

While the Pittsburgh Steelers seem eager to run it back with either backup quarterback Justin Fields or veteran Russell Wilson for at least one more season, some within the NFL community continue to link the club with Aaron Rodgers of the New York Jets.

During Wednesday's edition of the ESPN "Get Up" program, former NFL linebacker and current analyst Bart Scott campaigned for Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin to make a bold move and welcome Rodgers to Pittsburgh in part because the Steelers "can't manufacture enough points" in the biggest games of a season. 

"Tomlin, because he's such a great coach, he can muddy up the game," Scott explained, as shared by Josh Carney of Steelers Depot. "But when you get to the time where you know counts the most in the playoffs, you're gonna find yourself falling short over and over again. So, to do the same thing and expect a different result, it's a true definition of insanity."

The combination of Fields and Wilson helped the 2024 Steelers enter Week 15 at 10-3, but Pittsburgh then failed to score over 17 points in a single contest during what became a five-game losing streak. According to ESPN stats, the Steelers ended the regular season with the 10th-worst offense in the NFL (average of 319.4 yards gained per game) and the sixth-fewest passing yards per contest (192.0). 

With that said, there's no guarantee the version of Rodgers that will exist this September could improve Pittsburgh's offense. Since the fall of 2022, the 41-year-old has dealt with a broken thumb, a rib injury, multiple calf issues, a torn Achilles, injuries to both of his knees, a low ankle sprain and a serious hamstring problem. 

Nevertheless, Scott believes signing Rodgers to a short-term, team-friendly contract could be worth the risk for the Steelers. 

"They know what it looks like with both Justin Fields and Russell Wilson," Scott added about the Steelers. "That's why I believe that Aaron Rodgers has to be the guy that can get them over the hump (in the playoffs)." 

The fact that the Steelers hadn't re-signed either Fields or Wilson as of Wednesday afternoon indicated there's at least some hesitation on their part regarding offering one of those players enough money to pass on reaching free agency when the new league year begins on March 12. Whispers about Pittsburgh possibly pursuing Rodgers likely will grow louder if Fields and Wilson remain unsigned when the free-agent negotiating window opens on March 10.