The Pittsburgh Steelers are running it back with quarterback Aaron Rodgers, officially re-signing the 21-year veteran on Monday morning for a second season in Pittsburgh. The move also rekindles a familiar partnership with coach Mike McCarthy, marking their first reunion since 2018.
On FOX Sports’ “The Herd” with Colin Cowherd, FOX Sports analyst Geoff Schwartz joined the show to discuss Rodgers’ reunion with McCarthy. Cowherd questioned McCarthy’s support for the move, suggesting he would prefer to roll with the team’s young quarterbacks.
“I think [Mike] McCarthy is publicly taking a bullet as a result of he would relatively go along with the youngsters,” Cowherd mentioned. However he bought the job and a part of the deal is don’t badmouth us after we convey Aaron [Rodgers] again.”
Schwartz pointed to the prior pressure between Rodgers and McCarthy in Inexperienced Bay, the place their working relationship ended with McCarthy’s firing in 2018 amid reported friction. He questioned how the reunion in Pittsburgh would operate on condition that historical past.
“Bear in mind, Aaron Rodgers and McCarthy didn’t finish effectively, like he bought him fired,” Schwartz mentioned. “Now, they’re speculated to be greatest buddies once more at work? They’re professionals, however once more, I don’t know should you’re a Steelers fan, the way you’re wanting ahead to the season.”
Not solely have the Steelers struggled to discover a long-term reply at quarterback, however playoff success has additionally change into a priority. The crew has largely settled into the 8–9-win vary in current seasons, reflecting mediocrity.
Pittsburgh’s final postseason win got here in 2017, when it defeated the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs within the AFC Divisional Spherical.
“You already know precisely how that is going to go,” Schwartz mentioned. “They haven’t received a playoff sport in 9 years, however you knew how the final 9 have been going to go anyway, however this doesn’t really feel like all hope.”
Schwartz questioned whether or not Pittsburgh’s dedication to staying aggressive within the quick time period is stopping a wanted reset with an ageing roster.
“I feel that should you requested McCarthy, ‘hey, let’s kind of do away with the previous guys, let’s go younger this 12 months and subsequent 12 months we’ll hit it arduous,’ I feel he would relatively take that,” Schwartz mentioned. “However the satisfaction, the group, in some unspecified time in the future you need to must say for a 12 months or two that we’re going to be dangerous.”
The Steelers have by no means totally hit the reset button or entered a standard rebuild, however Schwartz has pointed to examples the place that method has labored elsewhere.
“There’s in all probability examples of it working,” Schwartz mentioned. “The Patriots bought Drake Maye, like it really works should you do it proper. It does work should you do it proper and Pittsburgh refuses to do it proper.”
