Aaron Rodgers is the final missing piece in Steelers’ Super Bowl master plan

Aaron Rodgers has always been the best quarterback available for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Despite the NFL free agency having important names like Sam Darnold or Geno Smith, none of them have the accolades of the future Hall of Famer.

Some will say, based on a small sample of six games, that Justin Fields was the ideal option after posting a 4-2 record with 10 total touchdowns and one interception. In four of those six games, Fields couldn’t surpass 160 passing yards, and the offense only scored over 30 points once.

That was the reason why Tomlin benched Fields and Russell Wilson got the opportunity starting in Week 7 against the Jets. The impact was immediate. Six wins in seven games and very impressive offensive numbers in terms of points: 37, 26, 28, 18, 19, 44, and 27. A huge difference that, with a 10-3 record, made many think the Steelers were truly Super Bowl contenders.

An Unexpected Debacle in Steel City

What almost no one dared to say at that point in the season, perhaps due to the euphoria, is that the Steelers were about to face the toughest schedule in the entire NFL: Eagles, Ravens, Chiefs, and Bengals. By the way, those first three games were within a span of just ten days.

In Philadelphia, although Pittsburgh was dominated in time of possession, the team was still in the fight until that fateful fumble by Najee Harris with six minutes to play in the third quarter. The score was 20-13 at that point, and the Steelers were about to enter the red zone. With that turnover, it was all over, as the defense could no longer withstand the onslaught of the eventual Super Bowl champions on the road.

In Baltimore, the Steelers were controlling the game when Russell Wilson decided to run recklessly searching for a touchdown with the score tied at 7-7. The quarterback lost the ball at the 4-yard line of the Ravens, and they were never able to regain the momentum. By the way, the defense allowed 34 points and, as it happened with Philadelphia, George Pickens wasn’t available due to injury.

The game against Kansas City on Christmas Day was a disaster, and with the division lost and the playoff spot secured, the matchup against Cincinnati in Week 18 had very little significance, although they nearly won it with an epic comeback.

Mike Tomlin and the Historic Drought in the Playoffs

What cannot be justified, when the team was supposedly prepared to fight for the Super Bowl despite four consecutive losses, is the terrible performance in the Wild Card round against the Ravens.

Yes, the offense was ineffective, but your defense, the unit Tomlin always boasts about and has invested the most money in, was dismantled by Derrick Henry and a ground game that nearly racked up 300 yards.

In a recent interview with NFL Network, Mike Tomlin said that his plan for the 2025 season was practically set in motion before he even got to the “shower” in Baltimore, and the draft has shown what the path forward is.

Aaron Rodgers: A New Hope

Since Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement, the list of quarterbacks in Pittsburgh includes names like Kenny Pickett, Mason Rudolph, Justin Fields, and Russell Wilson. None can compare to what Aaron Rodgers represents.

His age? At over 40 years old, Rodgers put up nearly 4,000 yards in the 2024 season playing for the New York Jets with 28 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. All of this in his first year of recovery after a devastating Achilles injury and within an organization that was crumbling from the top, firing head coach Robert Saleh with a 2-3 record.

Now, just imagine what Rodgers could do healthy with an offense that has receivers like DK Metcalf and George Pickens, backed by a powerful ground game with Jaylen Warren and rookie Kaleb Johnson. Yes. The Super Bowl is the limit for that side of the ball.

The Steelers’ Master Plan

That’s why no one should be surprised by the Steelers’ plan during the 2025 Draft. Derrick Harmon (DT), Kaleb Johnson (RB), Jack Sawyer (EDGE), Yahya Black (DT), Will Howard (QB), Carson Bruener (LB), and Donte Kent (CB).

What was the cause of the disaster in Baltimore? The defensive line. What was missing component for Arthur Smith to deploy his ground game and famous play action? Power at the position. What is the only remaining piece to take it to the next level? A star quarterback.

Although Cam Heyward and T.J. Watt maintained their legendary level, they need help for the defense to return to its glory days. The 2025 draft is the first step to achieving that and renewing a unit that is getting older.

Who will be the Steelers Starting Quarterback of the Future?

No one knows that today. Not even Mike Tomlin or Omar Khan. The only thing that’s real is that Aaron Rodgers gives you the best opportunity to win a Super Bowl in the 2025 season over names like Sam Darnold or Geno Smith, who, without having won anything, received contracts of nearly $40 million per year that are impossible for Pittsburgh to pay.

It was unreasonable to give that amount of money to names who are far from having the value represented by Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, or Joe Burrow. That’s why the path is a year with Rodgers and finding the quarterback of the future through the Draft.

Is Will Howard the answer after being taken in the sixth round? Only time will tell, like many other cases of stars who were selected late in the Draft. Additionally, if Howard doesn’t turn out as expected, there’s one last hope that, as is often the case, almost no one talks about because people live in the present without thinking about the future.

The Moment of Truth for Pittsburgh

The 2026 class will likely be spectacular at the quarterback position with prospects like Arch Manning, Drew Allar, Carson Beck, Garrett Nussmeier, and the controversial Nico Iamaleava.

Additionally, in a very important detail, the 2026 Draft will be held for the first time in Pittsburgh. What better setting to make the big move by drafting the franchise quarterback of the future, after, if the master plan worked perfectly, Aaron Rodgers announces his retirement following an unexpected Super Bowl victory.