Steelers Scenario Series, Part 2: Best and Worst Cases for the Quarterbacks
The 2025 Pittsburgh Steelers roster is an intriguing mix of fresh talent and seasoned veterans on both sides of the ball, and each position group will have it’s own challenges to develop into an efficient, productive squad like the Front Office and Coaching Staff envision them to be. The Steelers don’t do hard resets and they never plan to be bad, and that philosophy brings with it the expectation for each group to provide winning level play every year.
With recent Draft picks looking to find their footing, new Free Agent acquisitions getting acclimated, and familiar faces returning for another year, there’s a lot of variables that play into fielding a winning roster. In this series, we’ll determine the best- and worst-case scenarios for the 2025 season for each position
Previous: Offensive Line
Up next: The Quarterbacks
ON THE ROSTER
Aaron Rodgers, Mason Rudolph, Will Howard, Skylar Thompson
BEST CASE SCENARIO
Rodgers enters the scene fully healthy from his 2023 Achilles tear, turning back the clock a little physically while simultaneously aging another year. His mental game is as sharp as ever and his ability to read defenses pre-snap and diagnose coverages and pressure combine with a still live arm to distribute the ball efficiently to a diverse group of weapons. The offense hums behind an effective run game and a passing attack that hits big plays down the field and just enough short to intermediate passing success to not get bogged down. Mason Rudolph and/or Will Howard never see the field except for cleanup duties in a couple blowouts. The offense as a whole puts up Top 12-15 scoring and efficiency numbers behind a revitalized Rodgers.
WORST CASE SCENARIO
Rodgers hits the career wall at 42-years-old, and the mental expertise isn’t enough to overcome the physical limitations accrued with age. This forces the Steelers to either ride with a severely limited Rodgers or pivot to Mason Rudolph if Rodgers gets injured and can’t play. Rudolph looks a lot like his inconsistent, turnover-prone Tennessee self, and the Steelers have another decision to make: Ride with Rudolph or go with the Rookie 6th Round Pick in Howard. If Howard gets a chance to start, the moment looks too big for him and none of the moves made by the Steelers at the QB position work out in 2025, leaving the team stuck in limbo once again at the game’s most important position.
Good grief. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst?
1965 was mostly worst, and the Batman uniforms weren’t even out yet. This coming season will be better than ’65.
Was overcast here at 0334 hours, so no strawberry moon for us. Maybe in Asheville or Raleigh?
Overcast here too, unfortunately.
Maybe next time. Supermoon is funner, anyway. Was also overcast in Raleigh, per my nephew.
I think best case is Rodgers is 2021 Rodgers and decides to play in 2026. In the meantime, the Steelers find out that Will Howard is undoubtedly QB1 material and he takes the league by storm in 2027. That isn’t too much to ask, is it?
Very forward thinking, very much unlike most Fox Sports pundits’s on-air views. I find yours preferble to theirs, JSegursky.
Well, if we are talking truly “Best Case.”
HUA! Btw, is that an image of Mike Easler? Please?
Nah, THE Cobra
I used to rock a better Cobra but someone started using the same one so I switched it up.
https://tse3.mm.bing.net/th/id/OIP.577GF63IOinhZi-eSDQ4bwAAAA?rs=1&pid=ImgDetMain
My error, thank you! He didn’t look tall enough to be Parker. So young!
You’ve laid out a good worst case scenario–best case has to include leading the team to an Super Bowl Victory doesn’t it?
That’s a great team best-case scenario, yes. I was looking at strictly the performance of the QBs specifically in 2025 only though for this exercise.
True best case is that mason and Rodgers goes down and Howard leads us to the Superbowl :).
Yours is probably a lot more realistic though….
A E, how come folks have to become injured, first? Seems harsh.
a true Pittsburgh Steelers fan since the 70’s I wouldn’t be shocked or surprised during the season and during the game that Aaron Rodgers and offensive coordinator Arthur Smith fighting over play calling
Jeremy, this comment is related to your podcast about CA III, Romeo Doubs, and DeAndre Hopkins’s as number 2 receivers. I think the discussion between you and Corey Eckenroth did not contain contexts about 2024 receiving stats. Hopkins had 80 targets, 56 receptions, 5 TDs, 610 yards, with 10.9 yds. per catch avg. Doubs had 72 targets, 46 rec, 4 TDs, 601 yards, with 13.1 yds. per catch. CA III had 58 targets, 36 rec, 4 TDs, 548 yards, with 15.2 yards per catch. CA III is definitely comparable to those WRs as a #2 wideout. With 14[Doubs] – 22[Hopkins] more targets like those 2 WRs he could have definitely increased his total receiving yards by another 53-62 yards for the season and possibly another touchdown. Based on this comparison I believe CA III has the ability to be a #2 receiver for Steelers; especially with Rodger’s or Rudolph at the helm.