Can a 41-year-old man keep up with the younger generation in one of America’s most violent sports?
The average age of an NFL quarterback is around 28 years old, according to jokermag. This includes both starting quarterbacks and all backups. Like any dataset, there are almost always outliers, like the 41-year-old Aaron Rodgers in Pittsburgh. Rodgers, now on his third team, joined the Pittsburgh Steelers with mixed expectations from fans, media, players and almost anyone associated with football in some way.
Rodgers is considered one of the greatest NFL quarterbacks of all time. He took the Green Bay Packers to the Super Bowl in the 2011 season, defeating the Steelers 31-25. Rodgers won MVP after throwing for three touchdowns. He has four MVPs in his career.
“Aaron in his prime, to me, is the greatest passer of the football the league’s ever seen,” former NFL quarterback Tom Brady said during an interview with Cris Collinsworth on ProFooballFocus’ YouTube channel.
But recently, Rodgers has received a lot of flak for his on and off-the-field shenanigans. Whether it be his darkness retreats, COVID-19 issues, or his estrangement with his family, many people have mixed opinions about the quarterback. Also, his age played a factor in many fans and analysts thinking his time should be up.
Coming into the 2025 NFL season, Rodgers remained a free agent with ties to joining head coach Mike Tomlin and the Pittsburgh Steelers, which he eventually would on June 7. After two not so great seasons with the New York Jets (the first ending quickly due to injury), most people thought the 41-year-old Quarterback was washed and would have no success in Pittsburgh. Even former Steelers quarterback, Terry Bradshaw, thought the move would be a bad decision.
“What are you going to do? Bring him in for one year, are you kidding me? That guy needs to stay in California. Go somewhere and chew on bark and whisper to the gods out there,” Bradshaw said, quoted in an article on the NFL website.
Throughout the first seven games of the season Rodgers and the Steelers are 4-3, as they dropped back-to-back close games on prime time, after starting 4-1. Despite the losses, Rodgers played well in the last two games, throwing six touchdown passes in the two games. It has been nothing but positive inside the organization.
The Steelers are in first place in the AFC North with Rodgers leading the way and he has easily been the best quarterback for the black and gold since Ben Roethlisberger retired. Rodgers has thrown 16 touchdowns and been a great mentor for the younger players in Pittsburgh. Rodgers finished 5-12 with the Jets last season and has more than half the number of touchdown passes so far this season.
The Steelers quarterback is currently on pace to throw for the most touchdown passes in a single season in franchise history with around 39, which would break Roethlisberger’s record of 34 in 2018.
Rodgers has not been perfect by any means, throwing five interceptions so far this season, but compared to all the negativity surrounding him and his time in New York, it is clear people owe him an apology. He probably would not care for one, though.
“Dear Aaron Rodgers, I was wrong to call you a snarky, prickly, weird uncle. You are a ‘baller, not a bailer,’ after all. My bad, bro. You’ve been magnetic, energizing, and resilient — the rare eccentric quaterback who is pointing Steel City out of the darkness and into the lights,” Colin Cowherd said on his YouTube channel, “The Herd with Colin Cowherd.”
While analysts and fans both for and against the Steelers hated the signing, calling Rodgers too old, too slow, and just simply past his prime, Rodgers connected with his teammates and coaches and has so far proved to be a great signing. Rodgers has also been a mentor for the younger quarterbacks on the roster, including Will Howard from The Ohio State University.
“He’s been so gracious with his time, his energy towards me and anytime I ask him a little question…he’ll dive into a whole response on why he does this, what it’s good for and it seems like he just, he cares,” the rookie quarterback said.
Rodgers and the Steelers will take on the team with the best record in the NFL, the Indianapolis Colts (7-1), next Sunday, Nov. 2, in what will likely be a high-scoring affair. They’ll look to get back on track and continue in what has seemed to be a promising season in the early weeks.
