Aaron Rodgers might be the missing ingredient for the Steelers. But would the MVP even want to go to Pittsburgh?
On ESPN's "Get Up" Tuesday, former NFL GM Mike Tannenbaum, and longtime Steelers detractor, said he thinks Rodgers would look great in Black and Gold. In fact, he thinks the Steelers would be instant championship contenders with Rodgers under center.
"If I am Mike Tomlin, Kevin Colbert, the Rooney family, I am simply not getting off the phone with the Green Bay Packers this offseason. Could you imagine Aaron Rodgers with that defense in Pittsburgh?," said Tannenbaum. "They have playmakers at all three levels. He comes in, they could fix the offense. The only thing I'm saying to Aaron Rodgers is, Tom Brady had that Tampa Bay defense. They won a championship. Our defense is as good as Tampa Bay. We could go win a world championship this year in Pittsburgh with you as a Steeler."
Rodgers' status in Green Bay remains uncertain, with the all-time great signing a reworked deal last summer that voided the final year on his contract, meaning he isn't signed beyond 2022. Rodgers publicly voiced a myriad of complaints about the Packers organization and reportedly vacillated over whether he wanted to come back. To appease Rodgers, the Packers drafted a list of concessions, one of which included a promise to review his situation after the season.
It's worth noting, however, that Rodgers appears to be in a better place than at the start of the campaign. He expressed gratitude towards the Packers' organization after he broke Brett Favre's touchdown record Saturday.
At 12-3, the Packers are the No. 1 seed in the NFC, and Rodgers, the reigning MVP, is putting up another award-winning season.
With that in mind, it's far from a guarantee that Rodgers will want out of Green Bay at this point. There's also the fact that Pittsburgh has a terrible offensive line. Former NFL cornerback Dominique Foxworth said he thinks that would prohibit Rodgers from making the jump.
"[Tannenbaum] just glossed over the most important part. He said 'we could fix the offense.' No, you can't. The offensive line is not good," Foxworth said. "Aaron Rodgers has become accustom to sitting behind one of the better offensive lines in the league, and throwing to one of the best receivers in the league. Yes, the Steelers have good receivers, but they don't have anybody like Davonte Adams. And you can't get to Davonte Adams if you're under siege every play."
To Foxworth's point, Ben Roethlisberger has been sacked 35 times this season.
"Quarterbacks want to hear that you're going to protect me, you're not going to get me massacred, which is what's going to happen to him if he goes and plays there," Foxworth said.
With Roethlisberger likely calling it quits, the Steelers will have two choices at QB: draft a rookie, or bring in a veteran ready to win now. It's apparent Mike Tomlin would prefer the latter, though as Foxworth reminded us, that's easier said than done.
Still, Tannenbaum has given Steelers fans reason to dream.
