Father Time is looming large over the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, this summer. The Steelers are attempting to cash in on what remains of Aaron Rodgers’ illustrious career to claim their long-sought-after playoff victory. However, that somehow may have been the B-story for the franchise for the past several months.
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According to PFT’s founder and leading analyst, Mike Florio, the contract negotiations and trade discussions of the offseason have overshadowed Rodgers’ arrival in Pittsburgh. There’s been a lot of churning for the Steelers since February, making the chemistry of the team relatively volatile.
During his appearance on The Rich Eisen Show, Florio couldn’t help but contain his excitement for the upcoming season. He suggested that all of the question marks surrounding the team, along with Mike Tomlin’s magic, are guaranteed to make for must-see TV.
“This is a huge deal. The Steelers have never behaved this way before. Now they have T.J. Watt happy, they have D.K. Metcalf, [and] they have Jalen Ramsey. This is a hell of a chemistry experiment for the Pittsburgh Steelers… I’m fascinated to see what the Steelers can do,” Florio said.
The Steelers also got a favorable draw to open next season. They have Rodgers’ former team, the New York Jets, scheduled as their Week 1 opponents. The look-ahead line currently sees Pittsburgh listed as three-point betting favorites, with oddsmakers hinting at the potential for revenge being enough to motivate the slumping veteran in Rodgers.
“I want that Steelers-Jets game to be [a] standalone to watch it and nothing else,” Florio proclaimed. Given the uncertain nature of the locker room, a Week 1 win could provide a tremendous boost in chemistry.
Favoring Florio’s take on the matter, Eisen added that part of Tomlin’s “special sauce” is knowing how to get the most out of his players. “I think Rodgers and Tomlin are going to click very well.”
“I absolutely agree,” Florio retorted. “Mike Tomlin is that chef from the cooking show that takes a bunch of stuff that’s lying around and turns it into a gourmet meal.”
Given Tomlin’s unprecedented track record of winning in the regular season, the Steelers figure to once again be in the hunt for nothing less than a potential Wild Card spot in the playoffs. However, he hasn’t delivered a playoff win since January 15, 2017. The pressure of that drought is mounting.
From the signing of Rodgers and T.J. Watt to the acquisition of Ramsey, every single move that the Steelers have made this offseason seems to suggest that the team is going all in on the 2025 season. They are, of course, seeking that elusive postseason victory.
Rodgers is “pretty sure” that this will be his final year. And if the team somehow manages to waste it, then it could very well be Tomlin’s final year in Pittsburgh as well.
They may have different motivations, but the duo ultimately shares the same desire: To make the absolute most of this upcoming NFL season. That alone should be more than enough to ensure that Rodgers and Tomlin are both putting their best foot forward throughout the coming months.
