RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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0 Share Newsweek is a Trust Project member See more of our trusted coverage when you search. Prefer Newsweek on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search. Aaron Rodgers helped the Pittsburgh Steelers reach the NFL Playoffs earlier this year, but they quickly lost in the AFC Wild Card Round to CJ Stroud and the Houston Texans.
Based on Rodgers' recent remarks in an interview with The Athletic, he revealed he may not have been at his best health-wise during that playoff game, as he was dealing with an illness going into the matchup.
"I wasn't feeling good, and I actually came over to the team hotel, and they sent me home — probably because I was pale and looked like [expletive]," Rodgers said .
According to the report, Rodgers had flu-like symptoms, including vomiting, but he indicated he felt fine before kickoff of the playoff game against Houston.
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Unfortunately, Rodgers didn't perform at his best for Pittsburgh. He threw 17 of 33 passes, including an interception, in his team's 30-6 loss to the Texans. One has to wonder if the flu-like symptoms he experienced had a part in why he performed the way he did, or if it was just that the Texans' defense is that good.
Following that Steelers loss, many believed it could've been the final time Rodgers played in an NFL game.
However, after weeks of speculation this offseason, the 42-year-old quarterback officially returned for just one more season with the Steelers. Rodgers has maintained that this will be his final NFL season before he officially retires from playing football.
He'll reunite with former head coach Mike McCarthy, whom he won a Super Bowl with while they both were with the Green Bay Packers. However, it'd be surprising if this Steelers team can get near the championship game with the competition in the AFC, despite having McCarthy as coach and Rodgers at QB.
Tough contenders might include last year's Super Bowl runner-up, the New England Patriots, along with Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills. The Kansas City Chiefs could also be back with Patrick Mahomes healthy, as well as the Cincinnati Bengals with Joe Burrow.
In Pittsburgh, Rodgers has three other quarterbacks behind him on the depth chart, including Mason Rudolph, Will Howard, and Drew Allar, each waiting in the wings to take the reins as the starter. The team selected Allar in the third round of this past April's draft.
However, if the Steelers end up with a terrible enough record, they might wind up near the top of the 2027 NFL Draft, where several talented quarterbacks could also be available to attempt to help Pittsburgh fill the void left by Rodgers.
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