Robert Spillane warns Patriots about Steelers' Aaron Rodgers after Week 1

Aaron Rodgers of the Pittsburgh Steelers played like a quarterback who should maybe ride off into the sunset of retirement when he had a fourth-quarter fumble and a fourth-quarter interception returned for touchdowns in Pittsburgh's 30-6 wild-card playoff loss to the Houston Texans this past January. 

Rodgers eventually re-signed with the Steelers this past spring, and he then guided the club to a 20-13 Week 1 win over the Atlanta Falcons. Ahead of Pittsburgh's matchup at the 0-1 New England Patriots this coming Sunday, linebacker Robert Spillane warned his Patriots teammates about one aspect of Rodgers' game. 

Is Aaron Rodgers' mobility better than it was in January 2026?

"It's gonna be an exciting matchup," Spillane said, per Jake Brockhoff of Steelers Depot. "You got Aaron Rodgers, obviously...Still got it. Still can sling the ball from sideline to sideline, 50 yards down the field, quick trigger. His mobility seemed to be better than it was last year. So he's going to be a fun challenge for us this weekend."

Against the Falcons, Rodgers completed 24-of-40 pass attempts for 221 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions. That said, ESPN stats show that he ranks 24th in the NFL among qualified players with a 36.9 adjusted QBR. 

While Patriots quarterback Drake Maye tossed three costly interceptions in the fourth quarter of New England's 13-10 season-opening loss at the Seattle Seahawks, Maye ended Week 1 ranked 17th in the league with a 58.4 adjusted QBR.

Mike Vrabel knows how Aaron Rodgers can beat Patriots

Per the Patriots' website, New England head coach Mike Vrabel was asked on Wednesday "how difficult is it to fool a player like" Rodgers, a 42-year-old who will be enshrined in Canton in the first half of the 2030s. 

"He's seen every look that you could possibly give him," Vrabel said about Rodgers. "I think he tries to get them in the best possible play. He tries to put the ball where he feels like it is best and does a great job with it. You saw some of the throws he had last week that were in tight windows and tight spots. So again, I think we have to be good. He uses his cadence even on the road, and that is how good it is."

As of Thursday afternoon, DraftKings Sportsbook had the Patriots as 5.5-point home favorites over the Steelers. If New England suffers a second straight loss, alarms could sound regarding a season that looked promising when New England entered the fourth quarter of the Seahawks game.