Aaron Rodgers dominating the headlines for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2025 season is a pretty safe bet. Quarterbacks always garner loads of attention from the media, and Rodgers' big personality gets him even more attention than his peers.
That should not distract fans in Pittsburgh from the reality that Rodgers is a 41-year-old quarterback who is well past his prime. If head coach Mike Tomlin is going to get this version of his roster back into Super Bowl contention he will need a lot of young players to take major steps forward.
Add it all up and it makes for an unpredictable season in Pittsburgh. This could be the season where things fall off the rails for Tomlin. It's equally possible he can piece things together for another playoff berth in the Steel City. These bold predictions should go a long way towards determining where the Steelers are headed this season.
1. At least three different quarterbacks will start games in 2025
Any Pittsburgh fan hoping for continuity at the game's most important position this year needs to reset their expectations. There's a strong likelihood that Tomlin will be forced to rely on several quarterbacks to win games for him this year.
Aaron Rodgers will obviously open the year as the starter if he makes it through training camp in good health. The chances of him remaining healthy for a full 17-game slate at the age of 41 are pretty low. It's highly probable he will miss multiple games due to injury even if he's able to avoid any sort of major malady.
That opens the door for Mason Rudolph to start a couple of games as the allegedly competent, veteran backup in Pittsburgh. He is not going to wow anyone with his mediocre skills but he can keep the offense afloat for a game or two in case of emergency.
The boldest part of this prediction is that rookie Will Howard will also squeeze his way in for at least one start. The sixth-round pick may not be ready for primetime as a rookie but it's easy to envision a scenario where the Steelers want to get a look at him late in the year. That might mean the team has fallen out of legitimate playoff contention by the time the final weeks of the year roll around.
2. Kenneth Gainwell leads the team in rushing
The Steelers front office elected to let Najee Harris walk in free agency rather than pay him the sort of money the Chargers were willing to offer. That leaves Tomlin with the challenge of rebuilding his running back rotation by committee in 2025.
Jaylen Warren and explosive rookie Kaleb Johnson currently occupy the top two spots on the team's running back depth chart but Kenneth Gainwell lurks behind them at the No. 3 spot. He failed to stand out in a crowded Eagles' running back room over the last two years but is looking for a fresh start in Pittsburgh.
Gainwell isn't the sort of masher that Tomlin generally gravitates towards but he can give him a one-cut specialist who can inject some much needed life into this offense. His big play ability should earn him more snaps than expected. Don't be surprised if Gainwell edges out the competition to lead the team in rushing on the back of a few long touchdown runs.
3. Pat Freirmuth leads the Steelers in catches (again)
Steelers fans are understandably intrigued as to how the relationship between Rodgers and newly-acquired wide receiver DK Metcalf will grow this year. The former Seahawk will be the team's big-play threat but tight end Pat Freirmuth is going to emerge as his veteran quarterback's safety net.
Freirmuth is not a field stretcher but he has reliable hands and a knack for finding space in the middle of the field. Rodgers will want to get the ball out of his hands quickly to avoid pressure which makes a reliable tight end an essential for his aerial success.
None of this means Freirmuth is going to suddenly blossom into a 100-catch guy at this position. He might enjoy a slight uptick in target share this season but 75 catches should still be his ceiling. That should be just enough to keep him above Metcalf in the team's reception totals this year.