A former Super Bowl champion has called out Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodger entering the season.
The Pittsburgh Steelers enter the 2026 NFL season somewhat at a crossroads.
The team did win the AFC North, but entering the season, most people are low on their chances. Part of this is due to starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers being 42-years-old, as well as the entire team being older.
Rodgers has gotten some flak coming into the season, but the veteran has been able to ignore most of it. The Steelers quarterback is ready to silence any doubters, even if most people are counting him out.
He has reunited with former head coach Mike McCarthy, who replaces long-time Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin. All in all, the Steelers could be a sneaky team this year, but they could also be a team that underperforms as the year goes on.
Ahead of the NFL season, former Super Bowl champion and first-overall draft pick Keshawn Johnson has called out Rodgers. Johnson discussed the Steelers quarterback with NFL insider Jordan Schultz.
"I can't do anything with that. Aaron Rodgers is a thousand-year-old man. You can only get so much juice out of a dry lemon. And Aaron Rodgers is a dry lemon at this stage of his career," Johnson said.
When pushed with the idea that Rodgers is still the same player, Johnson said he was in name only.
"His name is certainly Aaron Rodgers. He hasn't changed his name. And if Mike Tyson got in a heavyweight ring right now, I'd bet on Mike Tyson too. Because I'm still in love with Mike Tyson of the 80s. That's the way you are with Aaron Rodgers," Johnson said. "First thing you said is that he is still Aaron Rodgers. Where? The back of his jersey? His last name? That's why he's Aaron Rodgers? Because on the field, he ain't Aaron Rodgers, a four-time MVP. He's just not."
Rodgers is going to have to prove himself again this season, especially with all the discourse coming out about his age. But to his credit, he did bring the Steelers to the postseason a year ago, and that should count for something.
While he may not be the Rodgers of the past, he is still a capable player in any given game. Pittsburgh has given him more weapons to work with this season, and the familiarity with McCarthy should help out.
But in the end, the success of the Steelers is likely to come down to how Rodgers plays.
