The Pittsburgh Steelers have struggled to find a permanent solution at quarterback since Ben Roethlisberger retired. After the Kenny Pickett experiment failed, the team turned to veteran stopgaps on short-term deals to stay competitive.
However, they have yet to take the next step. And if reports of an Aaron Rodgers trade become reality, they could find themselves stuck in the same cycle. One analyst, though, has had enough of Pittsburgh’s quarterback carousel.
Colin Cowherd Blasts Pittsburgh Steelers for Potential Aaron Rodgers Signing
Speaking on “The Herd,” Colin Cowherd didn’t hold back in his criticism of the rumored move. Just a year after the Steelers split time between Russell Wilson and Justin Fields—only to exit in the Wild Card Round—adding Rodgers to the mix made little sense to the veteran analyst.
“When you keep finding stop gaps for the leaky roof, you end up with a bunch of buckets inside the house. The Steelers have been great twice in my life – Terry Bradshaw in his prime, Big Ben in his prime. Outside of that, they’ve had buckets around the facility.”
Cowherd also took issue with the idea of the Steelers and New York Jets essentially swapping quarterbacks. The Jets, who signed Fields to a two-year, $40 million deal, and Pittsburgh, considering a move for Rodgers, weren’t exactly upgrading.
"When you keep finding stopgaps for the leaky roof, you end up with a bunch of buckets inside the house"@ColinCowherd pumps the brakes on Aaron Rodgers to the Steelers pic.twitter.com/m0DzAOrVhP
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) March 11, 2025
“The Jets and the Steelers swapping quarterbacks feels like two C- students cheating off of each other in a test.”
Last year, Fields didn’t qualify but was on pace for a 15th-place finish on PFSN’s QB+ metric. On the other hand, Rodgers, in one of the worst seasons of his career, was dwindling at 21.
Cowherd believes the lack of interest in Rodgers should be a red flag for Pittsburgh “There was a lot of people out there that could have had Aaron. And all of them are like, ‘Nah.’ It feels a little desperate to me.”
Rodgers hasn’t played at an MVP level in years. His final season in Green Bay saw a noticeable drop in production as the Packers missed the playoffs. His tenure with the Jets has been even worse.
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A torn Achilles wiped out his first season after just four snaps. Year 2—despite all of Rodgers’ preseason Super Bowl proclamations—ended in a disastrous 5-12 finish. He also posted the worst passer rating of his career since becoming a starter.
Cowherd summed up his stance bluntly:
“I think Aaron six years ago to Pittsburgh? That’s something to get excited about. This? Meh.”