The Pittsburgh Steelers’ ongoing quarterback drama has been one of the NFL’s biggest offseason stories, and it may only be heating up. As the franchise waits for Aaron Rodgers to make his long-rumored move official, there is growing debate about what kind of impact the four-time MVP could realistically have.
Could Rodgers turn back the clock and lead the Steelers on a deep playoff run? Or will this experiment fizzle under the weight of age, injury, and unrealistic expectations? One NFL insider sees a historical comparison that should give Pittsburgh fans both hope and caution.
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Could Aaron Rodgers Lead the Pittsburgh Steelers Like Brett Favre Did the Minnesota Vikings — or Not?
Rodgers’ situation is drawing eerie parallels to another legendary quarterback who made a late-career leap. Brett Favre, Rodgers’ predecessor in Green Bay, famously joined the Minnesota Vikings in 2009 at age 40, leading the team to a 12-4 record and one game shy of the Super Bowl. But even that incredible run came with risks that could have easily derailed the season. The question is whether Rodgers will follow a similar path or if this gamble will backfire.
On the May 30 edition of “The Rich Eisen Show,” NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero pointed to Favre’s 2009 season as the closest modern comparison to what the Steelers may be attempting with Rodgers.
“I can’t think of another situation like this since probably the guy who preceded Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay, when Brett Favre took it all the way to August 18 with the Vikings and then showed up and had a miraculous run,” Pelissero said.
Pelissero made it clear that Pittsburgh’s gamble with Rodgers could land in a similarly high-ceiling or low-floor outcome.
“With Aaron Rodgers, in my mind, this is going to be an A or an F,” Pelissero explained. “This is either going to be similar to Favre coming in in 2009 where, at an advanced age in his career, he puts the whole thing together and just is able to in this case goose 17 games plus playoffs out of his body and you know hopefully not throw an interception to Tracy Porter at the end of the championship game. But Brett Favre played at an unbelievable level, so that’s the ‘A’ scenario.”
Favre’s numbers that year remain impressive. He passed for 4,202 yards, 33 touchdowns, and just seven interceptions while starting all 16 games and earning a Pro Bowl nod. He helped push Minnesota to the NFC Championship Game, where they ultimately lost in overtime to the eventual Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints.
“The ‘F’ scenario,” Pelissero continued, “is it looks like it did last year with Aaron Rodgers and he just doesn’t play well and then the Steelers become a team to watch in the 2026 NFL Draft because you could be talking about now … I know Mike Tomlin has a long history of finding ways to get to nine wins with his teams, but you might have a top 15 type of pick. You got additional ammunition, and you can potentially go up and get a quarterback.”
Rodgers hasn’t consistently played at an MVP level since 2021. His 2022 campaign was below his usual standards, and his 2023 season lasted only four snaps before he suffered an Achilles injury. Now at 41, Rodgers is facing many of the same physical questions Favre once did.
Ultimately, Pelissero argued, this season could either propel Pittsburgh back into contention or set the franchise on a path toward a quarterback reset in 2026. The next few months will reveal whether the Steelers are writing the next great comeback story or repeating history for the wrong reasons.