Aaron Rodgers saga exposes Steelers’ addiction to mediocrity … tanking is the only fix

May 8, 2026 - 11:45

The Steelers Way has become a trap for a team rushing head-first into purgatory.

For the second offseason in a row, the city of Pittsburgh is waiting for Aaron Rodgers to decide if he fancies another year in the NFL.

Steelers fans are staring another average season in the face

The benefits for Rodgers are obvious, millions of dollars and a chance to stat-pad at the end of his Hall of Fame career.

But what does the team stand to gain? Probably a mid-round pick.

This version of A-Rod is not the gun-slinging maverick that won the Super Bowl and four MVP awards in Green Bay.

Unfortunately, he is just good enough to sneak into the playoffs with a decent defense, as he proved last season by leading the Steelers to a division leading 10-7 record despite zero 300-passing-yard games.

That extended Mike Tomlin‘s streak of winning seasons but wasn’t deemed enough to keep the now NBC Sports analyst in his job.

If a 30-6 wild-card blowout against the Houston Texans couldn’t save a head coach that won the Super Bowl with the Black and Gold, why is the man who went 17-of-33 for 146 yards and a pick potentially coming back — and getting a pay rise?

Even the next head coach seems a nod to Rodgers with Mike McCarthy coming in after his time with the Dallas Cowboys — where, for the record, he was great at getting into the playoffs and bad at winning postseason games.

It sounds like a match made in hell for a team that desperately needs to swing for the fences.

The NFL Draft brought in bruising linemen like Gennings Dunker and Max Iheanachor, which suggests that more of the same is on the cards. Slow, methodical trench warfare, a winning record, and maybe a divisional round appearance.

If Rodgers does come back as assumed, Will Howards sophomore season will see him sit on the bench alongside rookie quarterback Drew Allar.

Rodgers is just good enough to ruin a shot at drafting his replacement

Manning is likely to begin his NFL career in 2027 and continue a dynasty

They are sixth and third round picks and, realistically, may not be the future.

But why not throw one — or both — into the mix and see what you have.

If you’re lucky, you unearth the future of the franchise.

If they both stink up the place, the Steelers might find themselves fighting the Browns for third place in the AFC North.

That would be the perfect time to throw in Mason Rudolph and secure first dibs on a quarterback class that by almost all accounts blows 2026 out of the water.

Arch Manning, Dante Moore, Drew Mestemaker, Julian Sayin, LaNorris Sellers and CJ Carr could all be top-10 picks and other names may emerge over the college football season.

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The Steelers brought in Rodgers and spent capital to give him DK Metcalf and an honest shot at glory.

It would have been a fairytale ending. It didn’t pan out and the vet isn’t getting any younger.

Tanking for QB Class of 2027 is the only way forward for Steelers

Tanking is a dirty word and NBA commissioner Adam Silver is obsessed with sweeping it out of the game.

The NFL is much more tolerant, and with good reason.

There are no guarantees — the Browns are still the Browns — but a horrible team can get good quickly.

Just look at the Texans after adding C.J. Stroud and Will Anderson Jr.

Joe Burrow got the Bengals to the Super Bowl and may have again if the owners had more ambition.

The Raiders were awful in 2025 but their fans have hope in the form of Fernando Mendoza[/caption]

Tanking for Trevor took some time to pan out but the Jaguars look the real deal and have a shiny revamped stadium on the horizon.

What does Steeler Nation have to look forward to? Art Rooney II is adding black seats to the upper deck at Acrisure Stadium to lessen the visual impact of empty seats during games.

Pittsburgh doesn’t need a paint job, it needs a hero, and that is a young man’s game.

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