NEWYou can now listen to Pakinomist articles!
The Pittsburgh Steelers signed Aaron Rodgers to salvage a couple of years of mediocre quarterback play, taking a gamble on the then 41-year-old.
But there were hardly any problems as the Steelers were back in the playoffs as Mike Tomlin finished over .500 again.
However, like last year, Rodgers is playing the waiting game and remains a free agent.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON Pakinomist
Aaron Rodgers (8) of the Pittsburgh Steelers looks on during the national anthem prior to an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens at Acrisure Stadium on January 4, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
(Michael Owens/Getty Images)
Rodgers appears likely to return to Pittsburgh for a 22nd NFL season, and one Steelers legend believes the team doesn’t really have many other answers.
“When you have no alternative, then you have no choice,” Jerome Bettis told Pakinomist Digital. And I think there are some players that have a little more leeway than others, and Aaron Rodgers is one of them, especially when you’re limited from a quarterback perspective as far as depth and experience, right?
However, Bettis actually sees positives in Rodgers’ wait-and-see.
“There’s an opportunity for our number two guy to get a lot of reps, a lot of opportunities, right? So there are some positives to this because you’re letting the young guys have an opportunity to run the offense and kind of learn the offense as they go.”
Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin walks off the field with Aaron Rodgers (8) of the Pittsburgh Steelers after a 29-24 win against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. The game took place in Detroit, Michigan on December 21, 2025. (Nic Antaya/Getty Images)
CHIEFS HEIRESS GRACIE HUNT ANNOUNCES ENGAGEMENT TO SON OF TEAM’S FORMER QUARTERBACK: ‘IT WAS ALWAYS YOU’
Bettis “obviously” understands players can get bored waiting for their starting quarterback and wants some “continuity” in the locker room.
“I would be like, what’s going on? What are we doing? But now that you went through it, you know the value, you know that Aaron is a team player, right? He understands the culture. So now it’s not as much of a concern,” Bettis continued.
The Steelers have had pretty consistent quarterback play for the most part for two decades, but it has come at a cost elsewhere, Bettis said. With more holes to fill, Bettis teams up with The Athletic and its NFL Draft guide, “The Beast,” and meets Steelers fans in Pittsburgh to discuss what they want in this month’s NFL Draft, which takes place in Pittsburgh.
“They can look at players that they don’t know about, players that might be talked about that they have no real understanding of. Now they get that really detailed information about some of the young guys that they’re going to be rooting for for the next 10, 15 years,” Bettis said. “You can’t possibly know a lot about all these guys, and that’s why The Beast is going to be so helpful and so helpful to the fans, so they’re up to date on understanding who the young, young man is, um, that might be being drafted…
Running back Jerome Bettis #36 of the Pittsburgh Steelers runs with the football against the Denver Broncos during the 1997 season AFC Championship game at Three Rivers Stadium on January 11, 1998 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Broncos defeated the Steelers 24-21. (George Gojkovich/Getty Images)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE Pakinomist APP
“They’ve let the other pieces deteriorate in the sense that the running game struggled, the receivers struggled. So they’ve got to do a lot to help the quarterback,” Bettis said, adding that defensive help is also needed. “And, I mean, get the receivers, get help on the offensive line, get the running back position figured out. They’ve got to do some things before you get to the quarterback, because right now the other pieces aren’t good enough.”
