Despite vintage Aaron Rodgers, Steelers’ fatal flaw may break Mike Tomlin’s epic streak
The Steelers beat the Jets after a great performance by Aaron Rodgers. However, the team has a fatal flaw that that will haunt their season.
After a four-touchdown performance, fans are claiming that future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers is back in a big way. In a revenge game against the New York Jets, Rodgers thrived for the Pittsburgh Steelers in what was his debut with the team. The quarterback threw for 244 yards and looked more like his old Green Bay Packers self than the version that fans saw in New York.
The Steelers have been in quarterback purgatory since Ben Roethlisberger retired, which has led them to being a pretty mediocre team in recent years. Nonetheless, Pittsburgh has always had enough talent that the Steelers have never finished a season below .500 during the Mike Tomlin era.
This nonlosing streak is one of the most impressive feats in the NFL, and now the team has arguably their best quarterback in years. However, Rodgers' presence might not be enough to keep Tomlin's streak alive as the Steelers have a new problem. Pittsburgh's always impressive defense doesn't look so great anymore, and that could come back to bite them.
Steelers' defense has taken a noticeable step back
Elite defensive units are a Steelers staple, not just during the Tomlin era but throughout the team's entire existence. While Tomlin has been coaching the team, superstars such as James Harrison, Troy Polamalu, Ike Taylor, and Ryan Clark established themselves as franchise legends. Cameron Heyward and T.J. Watt are still with the team, too.
Heyward recently agreed to a revised contract that allowed him to play in Week 1, and Watt is one of the best players in the entire NFL. In addition to Heyward and Watt, Jalen Ramsey is another big-name player on the roster. Ramsey came up big with the game-winning stop against the Jets, but the offseason trade for him that involved Minkah Fitzpatrick was controversial.
Outside of those three, there isn't as much talent on defense as Steelers fans have become accustomed to. Heyward and Ramsey aren't quite as elite as they once were, either. The team allowed the Jets to put up 32 points. Coming into the season, Justin Fields was viewed as one of the worst starting quarterbacks in the league, and Garrett Wilson was expected to have a down season. There have even been question marks about Breece Hall and his future with the team.
All three of those players looked great against the Steelers' defense, though. Hall broke off numerous big runs and finished the game with 107 yards on the ground. Fields added two rushing scores of his own, and Wilson caught seven passes for 95 yards and a touchdown.
The Jets were not expected to find so much offensive success, but the Steelers struggled to slow them down. Even though they walked away victorious in Week 1, defensive woes could come back to haunt the Steelers, even potentially ending Tomlin's nonlosing streak in the process.
BREAKING NEWS: Jabrill Peppers Joins Steelers After Surprise Patriots Release
With Week 2 of the 2025-26 NFL season arriving, the Pittsburgh Steelers continue to add to their roster. A recent injury is leading to general manager Omar Khan bringing in an experienced piece.
In fact, it’s a former first-round pick. Following DeShon Elliott going down with an ailment, Pittsburgh is reportedly signing Jabrill Peppers. Ian Rapoport of NFL Media first broke the news.
Steelers Add Safety Depth With Jabrill Peppers Signing
“Former Patriots S Jabrill Peppers, a surprise release after cut-down day, is expected to sign with the Steelers per me and Mike Garafolo,” Rapoport’s tweet began. They’ve agreed to terms.”
Mike DeFabo, Steelers beat writer for The Athletic, also confirmed the news. He cites Pittsburgh as having “long coveted versatile DBs” and adding someone who “should help in the short and long term.”
This is a rare, but true big-time pickup during the season that doesn’t require trade capital. With a new-look defense, the New England Patriots made the decision to part ways with Peppers on August 29. The 25th overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft remained on the open market for over a week, eventually landing with head coach Mike Tomlin and defensive coordinator Teryl Austin.
Peppers now joins his fourth team in his nine-year career. He started things off in the AFC North, playing two years with the Cleveland Browns. He then spent three seasons apiece with the New York Giants and, subsequently, the Patriots.
He’s made 99 regular-season appearances, with 85 of them being starts. In those outings, he boasts career totals of 511 tackles (30 for loss), 35 passes broken up, 7 interceptions, 6 forced fumbles and 5.5 sacks.
Peppers played just six games last season. He was active from Weeks 1-4, then Weeks 13-15 (with a Week 14 bye). He spent a big chunk of the year on the Commissioner’s Exempt List, then went on injured reserve in January.
What Does Jabrill Peppers Bring to Pittsburgh?
Peppers, a former collegiate standout at Michigan, is an impressive athlete. Despite being undersized coming into the league, he posted tremendous speed and explosiveness scores during the pre-draft process. That, paired with the aforementioned versatility and an aggressive mindset, got him picked in round one.
It remains to be seen whether injuries or age will catch up with Peppers soon. Over the years, he’s suffered multiple foot/ankle injuries and had a 2021 ACL tear. He bounced back by playing in all 17 games in 2022 and then 15 in 2023. Peppers is set to turn 30 on October 4.
Being a jack of all trades is the name of Peppers’ game. The past couple of seasons have seen him thrive in coverage. In 2023, he surrendered a 72.7 passer rating and a career-low 4.9 yards per target. Pro Football Focus awarded Peppers with a sparkling 83.2 coverage grade for that year, then an 81.7 mark last season that ranked among the top 10 for safeties. He’s also a sound run defender and willing tackler.
With Elliott banged up and players like Juan Thornhill and Chuck Clark now being relied on, this move makes sense. Perhaps Peppers and Jalen Ramsey can be supplemental pieces who move around the defense and fill in at safety as needed.
