Steelers' Legendary Quarterback Terry Bradshaw Backpedals on Aaron Rodgers Critique: "I Never Thought That"
The Pittsburgh Steelers struggled on defense throughout Sunday's matchup against the New York Jets. Pittsburgh looked elite on the offensive side of the ball, as veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers was credited with 244 yards and four touchdowns in his Steelers debut. Rodgers signed a one-year deal with the Steelers this offseason as many were skeptical about how the 41 year old quarterback would play in 2025.
Rodgers looked very comfortable throughout all four quarters against his former team on Sunday. He spent the last two seasons with the Jets as his time in New York was quite the disappointment due to a torn Achilles suffered on the opening drive of the 2023 season.
Legendary Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw shared his thoughts on Rodgers' performance following the game, as Bradshaw praised Rodgers for his efforts, while also backtracking on previous comments he made involving the veteran quarterback. Bradshaw claimed the Rodgers signing was an excellent move for the Steelers.
"I thought he played great," Bradshaw stated. "I thought he moved well. Four touchdown passes, I just hope he keeps playing like that. As good as Aaron was, was as bad as the defense was. I was shocked by that. Jalen Ramsey comes over at corner, I thought they would play much better."
Bradshaw continued to speak more about the Rodgers signing, where the Hall of Fame quarterback claims the Steelers' offense could be something special in 2025.
"Looks like it was a good move for Pittsburgh [signing Aaron Rodgers]," said Bradshaw. "We'll see as the season progresses. I don't think Aaron played poorly at all. I never have thought that. You give him time and some weapons and they could be something special."
Bradshaw didn't seem like he was the biggest fan of the Rodgers move during the offseason. The former NFL star previously commented with "Stay in California, chew on bark, and whisper to the gods" when previously asked about Rodgers signing with the Steelers.
Bradshaw seems to have formed a different opinion on the 41 year old quarterback after the Steelers' Week 1 victory, as he now claims Pittsburgh's offense could be something special this season.
Rodgers looked like the older, "MVP" version of himself throughout Sunday's matchup. The veteran quarterback is four seasons removed from winning his last MVP Award in 2021, but can quickly get back to playing at that level consistently should he prove to be fully healthy and protected by an efficient offensive line. The Steelers will face the Seattle Seahawks this weekend in the first home matchup of the year where Rodgers and the rest of the Pittsburgh offense will look to continue playing at a high level.
Steelers' Aaron Rodgers Should Stay Hot
The Steelers traded for star wide receiver DK Metcalf over the offseason. Metcalf is an elite wide receiver one (WR1) who has thrived throughout every stage of his career, and the veteran could pick up right where he left off in Seattle with Rodgers as his quarterback in Pittsburgh. Metcalf was credited with 83 yards on four receptions in Sunday's win over the Jets, but both veterans are expected to continue developing chemistry and could emerge as a top deep ball duo in the near future.
Bradshaw seems to have a different opinion on Rodgers following his Week 1 performance. He had no desire to see Rodgers play for the Steelers just a few months ago, but a 200+ yard game and a four touchdown effort in his debut with the team seems to have changed everything. Rodgers will look to continue playing at a high level this Sunday against the Seahawks as the Steelers have the opportunity to start the season with a record of 2-0.
Browns Make Notable Move In Latest Power Rankings
The Cleveland Browns entered the season with big questions, especially on offense.
They looked much better than some people anticipated in Week 1, and while the Cincinnati Bengals have never been a barometer to determine whether a team is a true contender, the Browns held their ground.
Unfortunately, outplaying them and being better than the Bengals in almost every aspect of the game didn’t get the Browns a victory.
Yet, Gary Davenport of Bleacher Report has acknowledged that they were better than anticipated, and he bumped them up from No. 30 to No. 27 in his power rankings.
“Silver linings time, Browns fans! Sure, Cleveland just outplayed the Cincinnati Bengals in just about every facet of the game. Out-gained the Bengals 321-147. The Browns converted over half of their third-down attempts. Yet in the most Cleveland way imaginable (two tipped-ball interceptions and a pair of missed kicks, including an extra point), the Browns managed to somehow lose the game. Yes, the Browns need a new kicker (buh-bye, Andre Szmyt). Cleveland also desperately needs Quinshon Judkins to get up to speed quickly. The Browns averaged all of two yards per carry on the ground against a bad Bengals defense,” Davenport wrote.
The Browns open the season with a difficult schedule, so this was a loss they couldn’t afford.
They were the better team, and there are encouraging signs for the remainder of the season, but with two divisional games, three games against highly ranked NFC North teams, and one of those games being played overseas, things don’t get any easier.
The Browns were at home, in front of their fans, and let a huge opportunity slip through their fingers.
That’s not the sign of a winning team, and head coach Kevin Stefanski will have to make sure to keep the morale high ahead of the Week 2 matchup against the powerful Baltimore Ravens.
The Browns are arguably much better and more competitive than most people give them credit for.
Now, they face a tough test on the road against Baltimore, perhaps the only other NFL team that squandered a better chance to win its opener.
