Aaron Rodgers is not coming back to the Pittsburgh Steelers for another farewell tour but came back because the veteran quarterback thinks the Steelers can actually win something, and with his 22nd NFL season about to begin and his retirement already looming, Rodgers has made it clear that another Super Bowl is the goal.
The issue here is that believing in a roster and possessing a Super Bowl roster is not the same thing. The Steelers were able to win the AFC North last year before being soundly defeated by the Houston Texans in the playoffs. Rodgers now has one final opportunity to show that he is capable of reversing that ending.
Aaron Rodgers Believes Pittsburgh Steelers Are Capable Of Competing With Any Team
“I like the roster as a whole. We have good veteran leadership. It’s just about going out there and doing it. I feel like the AFC is very deep. Even our own division has a number of teams with Super Bowl aspirations, which is great.”
Aaron Rodgers believes the Steelers put together a roster who can compete with anyone: “I like the roster as a whole. We have good veteran leadership. It’s just about going out there and doing it. I feel like the AFC is very deep. Even our own division has a number of teams with…— Steelers Depot 7⃣ (@Steelersdepot)
There is a reason much faith in this group. Mike McCarthy is now the head coach, and their history with the Green Bay Packers played a major role in Rodgers’ decision to return. That familiarity could matter during a season where there is little time to waste.
Still, the Steelers’ Super Bowl hopes will probably come down to Rodgers himself. He threw for 3,322 yards last season and helped the Steelers win the division; however, his playoff performance against the Texans was ugly. The signal-caller completed barely half of his passes and finished with a 50.8 passer rating in the 30-6 loss.
The Steelers have strengthened the roster around him; however, they cannot ask . The defense needs to carry its share. The offensive line has to take a step forward. The young weapons need to make life easier. Rodgers needs to make the throws that separate a close playoff game from a loss.
This is most probably his final season, and he knows exactly what is at stake. If the roster comes together and he can still produce when January gets ugly, the Steelers could make the interesting than those odds suggest.
And if Rodgers actually brings a second Lombardi Trophy to Pittsburgh, the farewell tour will suddenly look a lot more like one last championship run.
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