If someone wrote a book about this NFL offseason drama, Aaron Rodgers would need his trilogy. The Steelers’ QB has somehow become football’s Tom Bombadil, popping up everywhere this offseason. Aaron has been ruling the tabloids, first for his departure from the Jets. And then for creating a mystery around which franchise he would sign with next. Most recently, the QB admitted to being married for a while now, creating a frenzy in NFL town again.

But right now, all everyone’s interested in is Rodgers joining forces with Mike Tomlin. Everyone seems to have an opinion about it while trying to dissect whether the veteran QB can have a successful season. Recently, Pittsburgh legends weighed in on Rodgers’s retirement watch. Ben Roethlisberger, who knows a thing or two about walking away, just dropped his honest take during a chat with former Steelers OC Randy Fichtner on his Footbahlin podcast.

Big Ben didn’t sugarcoat it: “I don’t think he’s going to go. I don’t think he’s got much more after this year. I think this might be it for him.” Translation? Even Hall of Fame QB think Rodgers might be on his last ride. And honestly, it’s hard to argue. Between the Achilles tear and the Jets’ Super Bowl-or-bust pressure, this feels less like a hunch and more like reading the room. 

Big Ben’s making it clear, just because Rodgers’s Achilles is healing doesn’t mean we’re getting the old Packers MVP back. The Steelers legend broke it down bluntly, “This year he’s going to be better, like in the sense of body feeling better. Doesn’t mean he’ll play better, you never know that… But it doesn’t mean that he’s going to have two or three years left. I think this might be his last go.” Tomlin will be hoping for the same.

Rewind to last May, when Hall of Famer Terry Bradshaw, never one to mince words, dropped his colorful assessment of the ex-Jets QB during a radio interview.

Aaron Rodgers through black & gold eyes

Even after Aaron had consistently struggled for seasons, Pittsburgh pursued him like he would end their 16-year Lombardi drought. They had a fair chance at drafting a long-term QB. And even if the team didn’t want to draft, they could have given a shot to Justin Fields, who performed quite well last season. But no, Pittsburgh only wanted Rodgers.

And Terry Bradshaw did not like this obsession of his former team with the 41-year-old QB. Speaking with 103.7 The Buzz, Bradshaw said, “That to me is just a joke. What are you going to do? Bring him in for one year, are you kidding me?” Ouch, quite brutal! “That guy needs to stay in California. Go somewhere and chew on bark and whisper to the gods out there,” added Terry. And he wasn’t done.

The four-time champ also torched Pittsburgh’s handling of Kenny Pickett, “I liked Kenny Pickett… When they got him to Pittsburgh, they didn’t protect him, they didn’t get him an offensive line.” The Steelers drafted Kenny Pickett in 2022 to be Big Ben’s heir apparent. Fast forward two seasons, and Pittsburgh’s already moved on – signing Russell Wilson and essentially showing Pickett the door. No wonder the young QB demanded a trade. But Terry Bradshaw’s having none of the ‘Pickett failed’ narrative. The Steelers legend fired back, “Now, they’re saying Kenny Pickett is a failure. He wasn’t a failure, the Steelers were a failure.”

Well, well… looks like the Steelers legend just took a flamethrower to both Aaron Rodgers and Pittsburgh’s front office. And honestly, most of Steel City’s been nodding along with every word. Now the real drama begins. Either Rodgers turns back the clock one last time to make everyone eat their words, or this whole Steelers’ veteran QB experiment crashes hard. Place your bets: Rodgers’ revenge tour… or another Jets-sized letdown?