Steelers could face Aaron Rodgers issue regardless of retirement decision originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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The Pittsburgh Steelers clearly are in worse shape if Aaron Rodgers retires.
But even if he puts off retirement, things aren’t just perfectly guaranteed to go great.
Rodgers, after all, is 42.
Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer explored the potential dilemmas in a new article, including all the moves Pittsburgh made this offseason that do anything but make them younger.
“It’s certainly possible this will all work out, and Rodgers is able to help weaponize the experience of all the guys around him, combining it with his own smarts and experience with all the background he has in (Mike) McCarthy’s offense,” Breer writes. “But it’ll take the Steelers not getting beat up and worn out like older teams tend to.”
Breer references the Steelers hiring of McCarthy as one notable veteran-based move. You don’t hire an older coach to replace Mike Tomlin unless the mandate is to win right now.
They also have brought back Cameron Heyward, T.J. Watt and Jalen Ramsey, Breer points out.
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Other win-now moves that Breer mentions include the trade for Michael Pittman Jr. and the signings of Jamel Dean and Rico Dowdle.
Pittsburgh certainly doesn’t seem like a team looking toward a future with one of its young QBs (Will Howard, Drew Allar) at the helm.
The Steelers instead seem like they’re ready for Rodgers to give it another go.
He’s dragging this out, a lot like he did last offseason. But a year ago, Rodgers eventually chose the Steelers.
Tomlin is gone, but Rodgers won a Super Bowl with McCarthy. If he comes back, though, the effects of aging might make it all a little bit tougher.