He wasn’t taking the first rep. Or the second. Or even the third. On a humid June afternoon in Pittsburgh, Aaron Rodgers lined up fourth in individual drills—behind Mason Rudolph, Skylar Thompson, and Kyle Howard. For a quarterback once known for silencing crowds with a single flick of the wrist, the optics were jarring. No spotlight. No preferential reps. Just another body in a line of quarterbacks, fighting Father Time and a skeptical fanbase.

After weeks of speculation, it’s official: Rodgers is a Steeler, signing a one-year deal reportedly worth around $13.6 to $20 million. But while the headline might scream “blockbuster,” the reception has been anything but unanimous. Many fans can’t help but wonder if this move would’ve made more sense five years ago. In 2025, at 41 years old and coming off two injury-riddled seasons, it feels less like a masterstroke and more like a Hail Mary.

On paper, Rodgers joining one of the NFL’s proudest franchises should’ve been a seismic move. But reality paints a more complicated picture. Critics argue the Steelers have ignored long-term needs by banking on a short-term fix—especially with a patchy offensive line and no clear offensive identity. Instead of grooming a young QB or building through the draft, Pittsburgh has doubled down on a legend approaching the final act of his career. Still, not everyone’s writing the obituary just yet.

Former NFL QB and current analyst Chris Simms believes Rodgers could actually surprise people. On The Dan Patrick Show, Simms revealed that a closer look at Rodgers’ late-season tape changed his outlook. “They are getting something better than I thought I was going to see… I think at the second half of the year when he finally accepted who he was and what he was capable of, I thought more times than not the games are pretty damn good.”

Simms also pointed out what’s held the Steelers back in recent years: stagnant quarterback play. “They’ve been hampered by quarterback play… quarterbacks who don’t know how to use the whole field… I think Aaron Rodgers is going to bring that to the table. They put themselves in a little bit of a bad spot with the quarterback situation… but he’s going to make them at least capable of winning a playoff game if they can get there.”

That’s the optimistic side of the coin. On the other side? Mike Tannenbaum.

Mike Tannenbaum expects a tough time ahead for Aaron Rodgers

The former Jets GM, who also had a stint at the Dolphins front office, isn’t buying the hype. On ESPN’s Get Up, Tannenbaum delivered a blunt warning: “I think Aaron Rodgers could be irrelevant by Thanksgiving. A non-playoff team with a 42-year-old quarterback who’s a legend that’s going off into the sunset.”

Tannenbaum’s skepticism isn’t just about Rodgers—it’s about the AFC North. With Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow leading two of the league’s most explosive offenses, he argues the Steelers simply don’t have the firepower to keep up. Instead of gaining ground, they may have fallen further behind by banking on nostalgia.

Meanwhile, Rodgers has begun participating in Pittsburgh’s mandatory minicamp—but he’s not commanding the field. Reports say he’s currently running fourth in individual drills, trailing Rudolph, Thompson, and Howard. It’s early, and the regular season is still weeks away, but this version of Rodgers has stayed in the spotlight more for what he says off the field than what he does on it.

There was a time when Aaron Rodgers was the most feared man under center. But if Tannenbaum’s forecast proves accurate, this stint in Pittsburgh may not be a last dance—it could be a quiet fadeout. Still, for Mike Tomlin, this is a swing worth taking. A proven coach betting on a proven arm, hoping to rekindle a spark that’s flickered too long in the shadows of AFC contenders.

Because in Pittsburgh, it’s not just about relevance. It’s about rings. And this could be Rodgers’ final chance to chase one. That Hail Mary? It might just land.