Some understandably may feel that Aaron Rodgers’ overall numbers from when he spent the 2024 season as the New York Jets’ starter show the 41-year-old quarterback was already past his prime before he signed a team-friendly contract to join the Pittsburgh Steelers in June.
During an appearance on the latest edition of “The Ryen Russillo Podcast,” NFL insider Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated touched upon how teams other than the Steelers viewed Rodgers earlier this year.
“Talking to other teams who are evaluating him, they looked at him at the end of the year, the game against the Dolphins, the game against the Jaguars in particular, and they’re saying, ‘He still has a lot of it. There’s not a huge decline in skill here,'” Breer said about Rodgers, as shared by Troy Montgomery of Steelers Depot.
Breer was referencing how Rodgers passed for 289 yards and three touchdowns in New York’s Week 15 win over Jacksonville this past December. He later tossed four touchdown passes in the Jets’ Week 18 victory over Miami. In total, Rodgers recorded eight touchdowns through the air and three interceptions over his final four contests of the season.
Of course, not every stat is so flattering. According to Pro Football Reference, Rodgers ended the regular season ranked 28th in the league among qualified players with a 48.0 adjusted QBR, tied for 20th with a 90.5 passer rating and 26th with a 43.9% passing success rate. While it’s worth noting that he dealt with significant physical setbacks throughout the fall, his injury history may show he simply can’t and won’t stay healthy for an entire season at this stage of his career.
The Steelers weren’t the only team that considered signing Rodgers after he and the Jets parted ways. It’s unclear if the New York Giants would’ve offered Rodgers a contract in March had he been willing to make a commitment to a club at that time. Additionally, people within the Minnesota Vikings discussed adding Rodgers to the roster before they decided to trust that 2024 first-round draft pick J.J. McCarthy will be good to go for the upcoming campaign.
Pittsburgh head coach Mike Tomlin is seemingly hoping his team will get what’s left in the tank of Rodgers’ best before the four-time regular-season Most Valuable Player Award winner rides off into the sunset of retirement. Rodgers will get a chance to play against some familiar faces when the Steelers open the regular season at the Jets on Sept. 7.
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