Faith in Mike Tomlin & Aaron Rodgers Fades Rapidly Even as Steelers Make New Roster Decision

We’re standing at the dawn of the 2025 NFL season. And, it’s already not looking good for the Pittsburgh Steelers. After their playoff curse continued with a wild-card game demise, head coach Mike Tomlin hoped to turn a new leaf. And who did he bring? Aaron Rodgers—future Hall of Famer. However, unlike the head coach hoping for an “all in” narrative, the expectations appear to be fading. 

The 41-year-old has been flirting with retirement for the past couple of years. This offseason, even when it became clear he had no other option, he still took his sweet time before signing with the Steelers. Pundits call it Pittsburgh’s “Aaron Rodgers experiment,” much like their Week 1 opponents, the Jets. Although offensive coordinator Arthur Smith has adapted the offensive scheme to fit the veteran well, the skepticism remains. “The Arthur Smith offense, where it wants to be heavy play-action, attack the middle of the field… that’s not really what Rodgers wants to do anymore,” The Athletic Football Show’s Robert Mays even claimed.  

Now, with Week 1 on the horizon, PFT’s Power Ranking didn’t favor the Steelers at all. Ranking them 16th, Mike Florio wrote, “The closer we get to Week 1, the harder it is to see the Aaron Rodgers experiment working.” 

PFT has the Steelers ranked 16th in their Week 1 Power Rankings: “The closer we get to Week 1, the harder it is to see the Aaron Rodgers experiment working.” #Steelers #NFL

— Steelers Depot 7⃣ (@Steelersdepot) September 2, 2025

Pittsburgh has full confidence with respect to its defense, which added cornerback Jalen Ramsey and Darius Slay alongside Derrick Harmon and Yahya Black in the 2025 draft. They even added a new arm with linebacker Jon Rhattigan. However, it remains to be seen whether he’ll be on the 53-man active roster or the practice squad like in Seattle. He made 17 appearances last season for the Seahawks and logged 17 tackles, including 11 solo. Perhaps, with Nick Herbig still in rehab recovering from a hamstring injury, Tomlin might add Rhattigan to the special teams. So the defense is sorted. 

But the Steelers’ “offensive cohesion,” in the words of ESPN’s Brooke Pryor, remains their biggest concern. If there’s any hope, Rodgers needs to build a connection with the receiving squad, especially DK Metcalf and Roman Wilson, who would be his two pillars on the field. A repeat of his facade with Davante Adams in New York is not something the Steelers can afford. And that’s just one part. 

He will have young offensive linemen on the field, and since he sat out the preseason, the chemistry between them remains doubtful. What’s worse is Rodgers’ history over the past four years of brutal starts. Including the 2023 one, where he tore his ACL, his Week ended with losses, including 0 YDS, 0 TD, 0 INT. With his decision not to play a single snap in the preseason, he’ll be stepping on the field with a completely new offense. And that’s not a good combination. 

Tom Brady’s vote of confidence in Aaron Rodgers

If this Aaron Rodgers experiment indeed fails, it won’t be the quarterback at the heart of fans’ hatred; it would be Tomlin. But amid the roars of skepticism, Tom Brady’s words broke through with a wild, surprising prediction for 2025 Rodgers—possibly the last. The seven-time Super Bowl champion shared, during the Pro Football Focus interview, his belief that 2025 will be Rodgers’ year and the Steelers, a last hurrah to his stellar career (ignoring his stint with the Jets). 

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“We all have to evolve and grow. Sometimes, when you go through tough times like he did with the Jets, you get revitalized by joining another organization like the Steelers,” Brady said about Rodgers. “That could allow Aaron to achieve what he hopes for, to say goodbye on the highest possible note.” The NFL GOAT is super excited to see what Rodgers will do this year. 

Brady speaks from experience. He’s the guy who, against all odds and in a new offense, won the Super Bowl with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at the age of 43. So, of course, his words hold weight. Perhaps this dose of confidence was what Rodgers needed to show that he’s a Hall of Fame-caliber player once again. So finally he can hang his cleats like he said: “What better place to close than one of the pillars of the NFL, with Mike Tomlin and a great group?”

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