Quote:
Originally Posted by Déjà Bru
Well, I guess they needed him — they have only a couple of journeyman backup QBs and a kid they drafted in the sixth round — but I don't see this as a cause for celebration. It's only a one-year deal; Rodgers will turn 42 before the season is over; and though he did well last season by Jets standards, "he also had 11 interceptions and finished with a 48.1 QBR -- 25th out of 32 qualified passers in the NFL".
Plus, he seems to have a reputation for outspokenness and controversy, including with his own teammates. Indeed, somebody has already updated Rodgers' article on Wikipedia with this: "Rodgers courtship and subsequent signing was met with mixed to negative reaction among Steeler fans as well as ex-Steeler Ryan Clark due to his polarizing attitude, with some fans feeling like he doesn't fit Western Pennsylvania's traditional blue collar base."
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They built everything around him and not Mason Rudolph being their starter this year. Like, this was always the plan and Rodgers was just being his normal jerky self in delaying it as long as he did. I don't disagree that they have no backup plan and Rodgers already looked kind of meh last year anyway but this is who the Steelers are tied to (apparently they originally tried to bring back Fields but Fields went for more money with the Jets, so by "always the plan" I mean "since Fields went elsewhere").
This was also a really, really weak year for quarterbacks so I don't blame them at all for not going after Shedeur Sanders (although maybe they could/should have taken a flier on him around the 4th round - at the same time he was just plain off a lot of teams' boards after the interviews he reportedly gave and if the Steelers were one of them... well, a small talent upgrade over the journeyman-looking guy they drafted in the 6th isn't worth the potential headache). If Rodgers stinks they always have that route available to them next season. Plus, I know a lot of Pittsburgh fans have been complaining that Tomlin is too good (the actual complaint is that they never draft high because he always manages to coach the team up to 9 wins no matter what but this is what it comes down to) and having a complete black hole at QB for a year (if Rodgers gets hurt or turns into a pumpkin) might be the final nail in his coaching coffin...