Aaron Rodgers has main character syndrome. No matter what the topic of conversation is, he always has to be at the center of it. That was no different this offseason and it was no different when he continued to bash his former team, this time throwing shade at their run game in 2024. I get it, he’s hurt they let him go the way they did, but is this really the most productive way to go about it?
In his latest rant, Rodgers unloaded on the New York Jets lack of a running game last season. He has a point, their rushing attack was abysmal and didn’t threaten anybody. But that was also the case because their passing game didn’t threaten anybody either. When you can’t pass the ball and teams can make you one dimensional, why should they be scared of a running game.
The Jets had a lot of dysfunction last year, starting at the top with Woody Johnson, all the way to the players and execution. That’s no surprise. But Rodgers calling out the run game as a way to absolve himself from criticism of a subpar season by his standards is a bit irrational. The irony is he went to a team that has an equally less threatening run game.
Aaron Rodgers is about to get dealt harsh karma in Pittsburgh
Don’t let last year’s top 15 rushing yards in the NFL last season fool you, the Pittsburgh Steelers aren’t a threat as a running team. If they were, they wouldn’t have let Najee Harris go to reshape their running back room. On top of that, Russell Wilson and Justin Fields were responsible for 444 of the team’s 2,166 total rushing yards. Neither of them are on the roster for 2025.
Rodgers calling out the Jets’ running game and going to an equally bad running team is setting himself up for failure. As if he didn’t already have the pressure to carry this Pittsburgh offense, now, if he is subpar again, it will be less of blaming the run game and more blaming Rodgers for not making the passing attack a threat.
The Steelers need Rodgers to elevate this offense. Not just to have a lot of stats, but to win. Rodgers won’t be afforded the luxury of having the first few weeks to get acclimated with his new team. He’ll face the Jets in Week 1. How he plays that game will determine his impact for the Steelers.
Rodgers hasn’t minced words when it comes to how he feels about the Jets. But none of what he’s said will hold any weight if he flops against them Week 1. It would just prove the Jets were right to let him go and the Steelers put way too much faith in a player that has showed us his best playing days are behind him.