Pros, cons of Steelers embarking on the Aaron Rodgers experience 

The waiting game is finally over. Aaron Rodgers has informed the Steelers that he will accept their offer as he looks to cap off his Hall of Fame career on a much better note than what happened during his tenure with the Jets.  

New York won only five games in two years with Rodgers and ended up having to eat $49 million on dead money against the salary cap. It's safe to say the Jets didn't get the Rodgers experience they hoped for. But as everyone knows, there's far more that comes with the Rodgers experience than how he plays on the field. 

Let's go over the pros and cons of the Steelers bringing in Rodgers for the 2025 season. 

Pros 

Even though it's easy to find negatives in signing a 41-year-old quarterback with his best football well behind him, there are positives and reasons why this move makes sense for Pittsburgh. 

First off, Rodgers truthfully played better than the narrative suggests last season, at least toward the end of the year. Rodgers threw for 3,897 yards, which was good enough for eighth-best in the entire NFL. He was only 31 yards behind Patrick Mahomes for seventh.  

Rodgers also finished eighth in touchdowns with 28 to go along with 11 interceptions. His 11 picks were fewer than what several quarterbacks who led their team to the playoffs — Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold and Jared Goff, just to name a few — put up. 

It's also only fair to take into account that Rodgers did open the year recovering from his Achilles injury that he suffered a few plays into the 2023 season. 

And after the Steelers added DK Metcalf and traded away George Pickens, a veteran like Rodgers could be the perfect person to try to get the most out of the receiver room as a whole. 

But most importantly, when trying to contextualize the Steelers' decision to sign Rodgers, there is an argument that he was the best available in a pretty weak market. Rodgers also won't try to hang around too long due to his advanced age, so everyone involved should be on the same page, knowing he's just a bridge option until Pittsburgh can find its next franchise guy.  

Simply put, Rodgers is an upgrade, granted only a temporary one, from what the Steelers have had in recent years. 

Cons 

The problem with signing Rodgers extends far beyond what goes on between the lines. The full Rodgers experience is only partly about football. 

While there's a valid argument that he will still be better than the alternative, there's no player who comes with as much off-the-field baggage, either. 

From his political rants to his bizarre comments that turn into headlines to his appearances on "The Pat McAfee Show," Rodgers is a lightning rod who can't help himself. Many even feel he's a narcissist who truly believes he's the smartest guy in every room. 

Whether HC Mike Tomlin likes it or not, he will have to manage and juggle Rodgers' personality as much, if not more, than coaching him. Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith runs a different system from what Rodgers has been used to. He's now tasked with catering his offense to Rodgers and dealing with input from a football legend way past his prime. 

Will Rodgers allow Tomlin and his staff to coach him? Will Rodgers make football his top priority? Will Rodgers be able to restrain himself from generating headlines that can divide a locker room? These are all questions that come with the full Rodgers experience. 

Rodgers may only be in Pittsburgh for a short time, but he will undoubtedly make his presence felt one way or another.