The Pittsburgh Steelers made several major moves this offseason in an effort to compete for a Super Bowl in 2025, something the franchise hasn’t realistically done since Ben Roethlisberger retired. After acquiring big names like Aaron Rodgers, Jalen Ramsey, DK Metcalf, and Darius Slay, excitement surged among fans.
However, many analysts and even former players aren’t buying into the Steelers hype, including a former Super Bowl champion who openly criticized the team’s offseason moves.
Why Isn’t Plaxico Burress Buying the Steelers’ 2025 Super Bowl Project?
Pittsburgh’s offseason kicked off with a bang even before free agency began, highlighted by the trade for Metcalf. Throughout the pre-draft period, the biggest question was who would be the team’s starting quarterback in 2025. Once the answer came in the form of Rodgers, the outlook appeared more promising than in recent years, even if still far from ideal.
Rodgers represents an upgrade over Russell Wilson and Justin Fields, or at least that’s the belief in the front office, which is desperate to break out of the cycle of being just good enough to reach the playoffs but not good enough to win. However, former Steelers wide receiver Plaxico Burress isn’t buying it.
“You can’t look at this football team right now and say, ‘They’re competing in their division and they’re going to get to the playoffs.’ They’re not. They’re putting a team out there right now that can go out and produce some wins, but nobody expects this team to get into the playoffs, especially with the division that they’re playing in,” Burress said via “Up on Game.”
The #Steelers have been busy this offseason. pic.twitter.com/6L1Dt6qd5v
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) June 30, 2025
Burress criticized the approach Pittsburgh has taken with quarterbacks in recent years, trying to find short-term solutions for the position instead of focusing on long-term development. “You can’t build an organization, moving forward, if you’re just signing quarterbacks for one year. That’s just what it is. Right now, the Pittsburgh Steelers are just saving face with Aaron Rodgers.”
The former Super Bowl champion has a point when you look at the numbers. Rodgers threw for 3,897 yards and 28 touchdowns in the 2024 season with the New York Jets, but he also dealt with 11 interceptions and constant pressure behind a struggling offensive line. At 41 years old, questions remain about his mobility and ability to extend plays.
What Do the Steelers’ Recent Playoff Struggles Tell Us?
Pittsburgh’s last playoff win came in the 2016-17 season, when they defeated the Kansas City Chiefs in the Divisional Round before falling to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship. Since then, they’ve made the playoffs five times and lost in the first game each time.
The past three eliminations were telling, with losses to Patrick Mahomes’ Chiefs, Josh Allen’s Bills, and Lamar Jackson’s Ravens, all teams led by elite quarterbacks who exposed the team’s limitations. In their most recent playoff loss to Baltimore in January 2025, the Ravens rushed for 299 yards while Pittsburgh managed just 14 points.
The @Ravens have 242 yards rushing tonight. Derrick Henry has 155 of those 😤 pic.twitter.com/ZMBGESwJEj
— NFL (@NFL) January 12, 2025
Critics argue that nothing about that equation has changed for Pittsburgh. Signing veteran players won’t solve their core issues in the 2025 season. The situation remains unclear with its best player, T.J. Watt, and the team heads into the season with the 25th-ranked offensive line according to the PFSN OL+ metric, a unit that likely won’t give Rodgers enough time to operate.
This was the same issue that plagued Rodgers in the 2024 season with the Jets, where he was sacked 40 times. The offensive line problems that have haunted Pittsburgh for years haven’t been addressed despite the flashy skill position additions.
The current project will be tested in the 2025 season, and another disappointing outcome could increase scrutiny on head coach Mike Tomlin. While he’s long been praised for getting the most out of his rosters, the bar is now higher. With an aging quarterback, unresolved contract issues with their best defensive player, and the same structural problems that have plagued them for years, a Super Bowl still feels like a distant dream in Pittsburgh.