Julian Edelman didn’t mince words — he dropped a truth bomb aimed squarely at Rodgers

Julian Edelman, former New England Patriots wide receiver and three-time Super Bowl champion, recently made headlines with a blunt assessment of Aaron Rodgers’ potential move to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Appearing on The Herd with Colin Cowherd, Edelman didn’t sugarcoat his opinion. While acknowledging the buzz surrounding Rodgers’ arrival, he firmly stated that the veteran quarterback is no longer capable of leading a team to a Super Bowl — especially in today’s hyper-competitive AFC.

Edelman’s critique wasn’t just casual commentary; it was a calculated reality check. He pointed out that Rodgers, now approaching 42 years old and coming off a serious injury, is far removed from his MVP-caliber form in Green Bay circa 2011. The NFL has evolved, and so has the quarterback landscape. Edelman emphasized that the AFC is a “shark tank,” filled with elite young talent like Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson, and Josh Allen. In his view, Rodgers simply doesn’t have the firepower or durability to outduel these stars in high-stakes January matchups.

The skepticism also stems from Pittsburgh’s current roster and trajectory. While the Steelers have a storied franchise and a passionate fan base, they are in a transitional phase. Adding Rodgers may bring name recognition and short-term excitement, but Edelman argues it won’t translate into postseason success. He believes the team would be investing in legacy, not results — a move driven more by nostalgia than strategic foresight.

Edelman’s comments reflect a broader conversation in the NFL about aging quarterbacks and the shifting dynamics of team building. In an era where mobility, youth, and adaptability define success, Rodgers represents a fading archetype. His leadership and experience are undeniable, but Edelman questions whether that’s enough to overcome the physical limitations and fierce competition he now faces.

Why Steelers’ Aaron Rodgers has Ben Roethlisberger ready to change prediction

It's fair to say Ben Roethlisberger is pretty excited about Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers this season.

Aaron Rodgers has begun to make a believer out of Ben Roethlisberger ahead of the Pittsburgh Steelers' 2025 campaign.

Although Roethlisberger indicated earlier this year that the Steelers could be an 11-win team with Rodgers, who had not yet signed with Pittsburgh, Big Ben might go a step or two further after going to a practice.

“Watching Aaron work, he threw one pass and as he started walking over to me, I was like, ‘Man, tell you what, one thing that doesn't stop working and it's that arm,'” Roethlisberger said on the ‘Footbahlin' podcast [h/t Steelers Wire's Andrew Vasquez]. “His arm looks good. At some point, before the season starts, I'm going to go back through my Footbahlin notebook and I might have to readjust my pick for the season of wins and losses.”

While 11 wins can be a tough ask for any team, the Steelers are annually a good bet to get there — or at least very close.

Last season, despite starting quarterback Russell Wilson missing the first six weeks of the season due to injury, the Steelers opened the year up with a 4-2 record. And with Wilson at the helm, Pittsburgh rattled off four wins in a row and improved its record to 8-2. After Week 13, the Steelers were 10-3 on the season and 6-1 with Wilson as the starter.

However, the final four weeks featured three of the best teams in the league — the Philadelphia Eagles, Baltimore Ravens, and two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs — and the Steelers lost each of those games, plus the season finale vs. the red-hot Cincinnati Bengals.

Although the four-game losing streak and Wild Card playoff exit at the hands of the Ravens was a bitter end to the season, the Steelers still managed to win 10 games with considerable question marks around the health and effectiveness of Wilson or Fields, the team's top two quarterbacks.

Pittsburgh certainly hopes that Rodgers can bring some stability to the position this season. And Rodgers is likely looking for some stability as well after an injury immediately ended his first year with the New York Jets in 2023 before a 2024 season in which Rodgers and the Jets floundered, resulting in the mid-season dismissal of head coach Robert Saleh and Joe Douglas.

Rodgers, 41, is the oldest player in the NFL and has said that he will most likely retire following this season, which will be his 21st in the league.