The Jig Is Up: Steelers Offseason, Vol. 20, A-Rod Cometh

Recently I was thinking about my time writing about the Pittsburgh Steelers. Throughout my career doing so, I’ve essentially done it all.

Commentary, news, breaking stories, features and even took a stab at simple film room breakdowns.

The one thing I’ve never done is work on just a random thought type format.

I can’t speak for you, the reader, but I am always thinking about writing and the Steelers. Thinking about different aspects of the team and game. Thanks to reading Myron Cope’s biography I decided to put a unique spin on this type of feature.

Now, for the name of the article, anyone who is familiar with the Styx song “Renegade” should know where it came from. If not, this is where it came from…

The jig is up, the news is out
They finally found me
The renegade who had it made
Retrieved for a bounty
Nevermore to go astray
This’ll be the end today of the wanted man

The jig is up…time for some randomness.

Aaron Rodgers set to sign

Aaron Rodgers made waves Thursday when it became public he was planning on joining the Steelers soon to quarterback the team in 2025. While Rodgers hasn’t officially signed yet, barring something drastic happening he will be the team’s quarterback to start the 2025 season.

Will he play all year? Who knows.

Will he lead the team to a winning record? See Question 1, it likely has a lot to do with it.

Will the Steelers win a Super Bowl? It’s unlikely.

Will the team be more entertaining? Absolutely.

A friend of mine, who is a Dolphins fan, sent me a message on Twitter yesterday saying, “This is going to be a disaster.” My response was simple, “It will be must-watch TV either way.”

Get your popcorn ready…

Rodgers Digits

When the news of Rodgers signing became public, many outlets started putting out their own images of Rodgers in a black-and-gold uniform. Like this one from ESPN’s Adam Schefter:

Steelers never wavered in their belief that Aaron Rodgers eventually would sign with Pittsburgh. Steelers HC Mike Tomlin loomed large in this entire situation. Tomlin was a drawing card for Rodgers, and was happy to work within Rodgers’ timeline. He is a major reason that Rodgers… pic.twitter.com/O2hzqdgfuU

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) June 5, 2025

The problem with this image?

There is no way the Steelers would ever give Rodgers No. 12. Terry Bradshaw’s No. 12 jersey number is one of the many unofficially retired numbers. Could he take No. 8? If so, he’d have to buy it off Corliss Waitman. Another option is for Rodgers to wear No. 3 assuming Waitman won’t make the final roster and potentially take No. 8 at that time.

Until then, Rodgers still has to put pen to paper…

2025 Defense Better??

Thursday’s Pittsburgh Standard Time podcast with Dave Schofield and Greg Benevent talked about how good the 2025 Steelers defense could be this upcoming season. It got me thinking. Could the 2025 defense be better than 2024?

When I thought about it more, I can actually see the 2025 version being better than last season.

Hear me out…

The defensive line was bolstered by two rookies and the expected step up by Keeanu Benton. Cole Holcomb returning, Payton Wilson going into Year 2, and Carson Bruener being added only make that room deeper and more impressive. Juan Thornill his a step up at safety over Damontae Kazee. Darius Slay will help Joey Porter Jr. and Cory Trice Jr., and Jack Sawyer being a rotational pass rusher will help keep T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith fresh.

I’m all-in on the 2025 Steelers defense being better.

What to make of the weight…

Throughout the last two weeks of Organized Team Activities (OTAs) Phase III, we’ve heard multiple reports of players who have lost a significant amount of weight prior to offseason workouts.

Mainly the two Georgia Bulldogs on the roster: Broderick Jones and Darnell Washington

You can hear Washington talk about this, among other things, in the video below:

Darnell Washington, Cole Holcomb, Jaylen Warren and Minkah Fitzpatrick spoke to the media after practice today: pic.twitter.com/y9XJI4BPqV

— Steelers Live (@SteelersLive) June 3, 2025

I’m not sure what to make of these players dropping weight like this during an offseason. Unless they are incredibly unprofessional, there is no reason they would ever balloon in weight unless they were told to do so by the coaching/training staff.

In both cases, Jones and Washington, the coaching staff might have suggested they gain weight to help them with their respective games. The talk of Washington being another tackle was real, and the thought of Jones being more of a “bruiser” might have been enticing. But what looks good on paper isn’t always what translates the most on the field. With that said, I could see in both cases the players suggesting they don’t feel as good at that weight than if they were lighter.

Maybe this is a big “nothing burger” and I’m reading too much into it, but it is worth tracking as the team prepares for minicamp and training camp.

Enough with the band-aids

Since the Ben Roethlisberger era ended, the Steelers have done nothing but band-aid the quarterback position.

• Mitch Trubisky as the veteran presence as they draft a QB
• Kenny Pickett with a brief stint with the team before wanting out
• Russell Wilson signing
• Justin Fields experience
• Now the Aaron Rodgers addition

I think I can speak for all Steelers fans when I suggest the hope, and some might even say prayer, is the team finally addresses the long term future of the position after the 2025 season. I know they tried with Pickett, but clearly that didn’t pan out. Time to take another swing for the fences at the most important position in sports.

Until then, let’s hope this is the last band-aid applied…

Gotta feel for Mason

I spoke about this last week on several podcasts and articles, but you have to feel for Mason Rudolph. Let’s look at his timeline:

• Drafted in the 3rd Round of the 2018 NFL Draft
• Starting QB goes on his radio show suggesting it was a wasted pick
• You sit the entire 2018 season
• 2019 you get a chance to play with Roethlisberger injured for the season
• Earl Thomas almost kills you on the field vs. the Ravens
• While in the concussion protocol Devlin “Duck” Hodges catches lightning in a bottle and wins some games
• Before getting benched again, you have your helmet ripped off and used as a weapon against you in Cleveland
• The reason? Accusations of using racial slurs on the football field.
• You get re-inserted into the lineup vs. the Jets, only to tear up your shoulder and finish the season on the injured list
• You remain the back-up when Roethlisberger returns
• When Roethlisberger retires, the team signs Mitch Trubisky and drafts Kenny Pickett
• 2023 you get a shot and lead the Steelers to the playoffs
• 2024 the team isn’t interested in bringing you back and you sign a one-year deal with the Tennessee Titans
• 2025 you sign a modest two-year deal with the Steelers, knowing they will likely be bringing in a veteran QB
• Even though hopes might be high you get a legitimate shot to be “the guy”, the team signs Aaron Rodgers to a one-year deal

Rudolph’s career has been a roller coaster, and while he’s been compensated handsomely for his work, it is hard not to feel for the guy. He’s been through the ringer, but I have a feeling he might still get a shot to prove himself once again in 2025.

Player Spotlight

I wanted to start doing a spotlight segment every week during the offseason of a lesser known player who donned the black-and-gold for a time.

This week’s player: Jonathan Dwyer

Dwyer was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the sixth round (188th overall) of the 2010 NFL draft. After limited reps in his rookie season, in 2011 with Rashard Mendenhall nursing a hamstring injury and backup Mewelde Moore out with a foot injury, Dwyer made his 2011 debut against the Tennessee Titans in Week 5. He had a strong performance, rushing for 107 yards on 11 carries, including a 76-yard dash to set up a short Ben Roethlisberger touchdown pass.

At the start of the 2012 season, Dwyer came to training camp overweight, and was in question of making the team for his third season. However, he was able to bring down his weight and make the final roster cut for the Steelers.

With Rashard Mendenhall and Isaac Redman out with injuries in a week 7 game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Dwyer started the game for the Steelers. He rushed 17 times for 122 yards in the game. The following week, Dwyer had 17 carries for 107 yards against the Washington Redskins. He became the first Steelers running back since Willie Parker in the 2008–2009 season to have consecutive 100-yard games. On November 27, 2012, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin announced that Dwyer had earned the starting job for the remainder of the season. In the December 2 game against the Baltimore Ravens, he scored his first career touchdown on a 16-yard run.

Dwyer spent some of the 2013 season with the Steelers, and in the offseason he signed a one-year contract with the Arizona Cardinals. On September 17, he was arrested for domestic violence, and as a result the Cardinals deactivated him from all team activities, placing him on the non-football injury list.

Check out the latest “Let’s Ride” podcast in the player below:

That does it…the jig is up, they’ve finally found me. This renegade is outta here…be sure to stay tuned to SCN for the latest news and notes surrounding the Steelers as they prepare for the rest of offseason leading up to training camp.