Former college and NFL head coach Dave Wannstedt isn’t buying the Pittsburgh Steelers’ early-season offensive approach, issuing a direct warning about the high volume of pass attempts required of quarterback Aaron Rodgers under new head coach Mike McCarthy.
Appearing on the “93.7 The Fan Morning Show,” Wannstedt voiced major concerns over Pittsburgh’s failure to establish a dominant ground attack, particularly after watching Rodgers drop back more than 40 times in their matchup against the Atlanta Falcons.
“You got to give that ball to [Jaylen] Warren,” Wannstedt said. “You can't come out of these games with against Atlanta with Aaron having to throw it 40 times. Are you kidding me?”
Instead of placing the full burden of the offense on Rodgers'
arm, Wannstedt believes the Steelers need a far more balanced strategy centered on Jaylen Warren and a heavily invested offensive line.
“He should be throwing the ball in my opinion, my opinion about 30 times a game, you know, and running the ball about 35 times a game between all those backs,” Wannstedt emphasized. “That's to me the winning formula.”
Wannstedt pointed to Rodgers’ most successful championship seasons in Green Bay as proof that an elite quarterback needs run support to thrive long-term.
“Aaron Rodgers when they went to those Super Bowls at Green Bay, check it out, guys,” Wannstedt noted. “During a five-year period, they were in the top five and rushing the football. Took some pressure off of him because of the run.”
Despite drafting heavily in the trenches, Pittsburgh’s run blocking has yet to dictate the offense the way Wannstedt expects. For the Steelers to sustain success, Wannstedt insists McCarthy must reset the offensive balance, taking the pressure off Rodgers by leaning into a physical, run-first identity.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Dave Wannstedt warns Steelers over Aaron Rodgers' high pass volume
