Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is still an elite decision-maker at the line of scrimmage and capable of deciphering defenses as well as anyone. There are some limitations that come with being a 42-year-old quarterback behind an offensive line lacking cohesion, but Rodgers can still outplay the opposition on any given day.
The Steelers won’t often have the quarterback advantage this season, especially in a division with Joe Burrow (who they’ve already beaten) and Lamar Jackson, but the road
ahead looks very promising. Leading into the bye week, the Steelers will play four quarterbacks over the next five games where the tale of the tape on paper goes to Pittsburgh.
Mike McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers will take on Deshaun Watson (Browns) twice, Daniel Jones (Colts) at home, Jalon Daniels (Buccaneers), and Tyler Shough (Saints) in Paris.
Tampa Bay’s Pro Bowl quarterback Baker Mayfield is expected to miss at least the next three weeks with a thumb injury. It’s a significant development for the Steelers, who play in Tampa Bay on Sunday, September 18. Jalon Daniels, an undrafted rookie out of Kansas, is set to start for the Bucs moving forward. Daniels relieved Mayfield against Minnesota on the last drive and finished 0-for-3 with an interception on the final play.
Shough may be the best of the bunch and is playing well for the Saints. The 2025 second-round pick owns nine total touchdowns and is averaging 305.7 passing yards per game. He’s also a threat on the ground, rushing for 67 yards through three games.
Jones suffered a season-ending Achilles injury last December, but rehabbed quick enough to be ready for Week 1. He’s off to a tough start with three touchdown passes compared to five turnovers (three interceptions and two lost fumbles). Jones has recorded a 66.3 completion percentage and an 80.8 quarterback rating.
But first up is Watson, who was booed by Cleveland fans in the preseason and experienced a rollercoaster ride of ups and downs to get here. That includes Browns owner Jimmy Haslam previously calling the trade a “big swing and a miss.”
After an embarrassing afternoon against the Jacksonville Jaguars (34-10), Watson and the Browns bounced back with two consecutive wins and are tied with the big three in the AFC North. In his last two games, Watson is 40-for-60 passing for 388 yards, four touchdowns, and no turnovers.
Rodgers owns a 58.4 completion percentage and has thrown four touchdowns in three games, but has played better than the stats indicate. He’s taken care of the football, with only two interceptions, and played one of his best games as a Steeler in the 30-27 victory over the Bengals. Rodgers threw for 292 yards and three touchdowns for Mike McCarthy and Rodgers’ 100th career win together.
Joe Burrow, Jalen Hurts, Bo Nix, Trevor Lawrence, and Lamar Jackson (twice) are some of the quarterbacks after the bye that will flip the script, but the Steelers have an opportunity to take full advantage before the difficult stretch of their 2026 schedule.
Anyone from the group could have a big day against the Steelers and mitigate this, but on paper, the Steelers are in good hands with Rodgers for the next five games.
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