With head coach Mike Tomlin under increasing pressure to deliver playoff success, every snap, drill, and play call of the Pittsburgh Steelers is under intense observation. The arrival of veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers, wide receiver D.K. Metcalf, tight end Jonnu Smith, and rookie talents like Caleb Johnson has dramatically reshaped expectations. But while Tomlin’s defense looks like one of the league’s best units, the offense, under new coordinator Arthur Smith in his second season, has struggled to find rhythm. So what will Tomlin do?
The offense needs to be at least competent, and even Insider Mark Kaboly is concerned. Especially given that key defensive stars like T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, Cam Heyward, and Joey Porter Jr. weren’t even participating. “For the most part, during these team periods, Watt wasn’t playing, Heyward wasn’t out there, Highsmith wasn’t out there, Porter wasn’t out there,” Kaboly said. “Still, it was just a dominant faction out there. On the bright side of it, the defense is ready to go.” Yet, camp footage described by insiders shows a promising complexity to the offense: increased use of trips formations, layered route structures, and creative scheming intended to create natural separation.
According to insider Christopher Carter, there’s an intentional design behind these concepts; they force defenses to adjust in real time, banking on Rodgers’s experience to spot openings that the younger QBs might not. The implementation has been rough, but Carter suggests Tomlin is poised to ‘eject’ existing offensive game plans, effectively scrapping or overhauling what’s been implemented so far. The idea is to recalibrate the attack to better align with Rodgers’s reads, receivers’ strengths, and the realities of a top-tier Steelers defense taking shape.
Carter explained on Locked On Steelers, “This is a pretty much new offense that’s going on in here. Not only do you have Aaron Rodgers, DK Metcalf, and Caleb Johnson, and all these new faces like Jonnu Smith, but you also have an offensive coordinator in his second year. And I think it’s pretty obvious this is not going to be the same offense that you saw last year with Justin Fields or Russell Wilson, because those were also two different offenses that he called. This is going to be an offense that’s a bit more complex than the passing schemes that it dials up, and why it dials them up, and how it dials them up.”
Across the first 10 practices of training camp, the Steelers’ offense has managed to come out on top in just one full-team session, while the defense has dominated the other nine. Reports from observers on the ground note that Rodgers, aside from an early interception to Patrick Queen, has avoided turnovers, but that hasn’t translated into overall success. The offense has looked disjointed, and there have been issues ranging from poor timing and lack of chemistry to frequent breakdowns in pass protection. Miscommunications between Rodgers and his receivers have been common, and the unit has struggled badly in the red zone, failing to finish drives with any consistency.
Newly signed quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Aaron Rodgers 8, works out at the Steelers mini-camp on Tuesday, June 10, 2025, in Pittsburgh. PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxHUNxONLY PIT2025061020 ARCHIExCARPENTER
Carter believes the Steelers offense is still learning, aiming to perfect their plans before the preseason or the regular season begins. He further added, “They’re banking a lot more of this offense is that Aaron Rodgers as a quarterback is going to see those opportunities more often, that’s what they’re hoping can kind of lead into some progress there. And what I mean by that is like you know more trips, trips right formations, trips left formations, where they can get, they can use guys who start their route to kind of clear out space for someone else or find ways, you know, route concepts that best build off each other.”
We do get what he means, but while Mike Tomlin prepares to overhaul his offensive plans, the urgency behind that decision becomes clearer when you take a closer look at what’s happening on the field, because the struggles aren’t just philosophical, they’re painfully visible.
Troubles mount for veteran Aaron Rodgers and HC Mike Tomlin.
The Steelers offense, led by Aaron Rodgers, hasn’t just failed to click; it’s been consistently outplayed, underwhelming, and disjointed through nearly every practice session at training camp. Aaron Rodgers arrived in Pittsburgh carrying the weight of sky-high expectations and a ticking clock. The 42-year-old future Hall of Famer inked a one-year deal worth up to $20 million after back-to-back seasons marred by injuries. His comeback attempt puts him in elite but narrow company; only Tom Brady and Drew Brees have started playoff games past the age of 40. Rodgers remains self-assured, but outside voices remain doubtful, especially considering the Steelers poured $375 million into this offseason’s roster overhaul in a clear win-now push.
Furthermore, Training camp hasn’t done Rodgers any favors so far. According to multiple reports, he’s currently trailing Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson in individual drills, a surprising development for a quarterback of his caliber. While it’s still early in the preseason, the optics raise real concerns about his readiness, sharpness, and long-term durability. With the Steelers facing a grueling AFC North slate right out of the gate, there’s little room for growing pains or slow starts. Former New York Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum warns this gamble could backfire, even for a coach as respected as Mike Tomlin. “If they aren’t successful, this could be the end of the line for both Rodgers and Tomlin,” he said on ESPN. “There would be a line around the block to hire Tomlin elsewhere.
Instead of grooming a young quarterback, the Steelers went all-in on Rodgers, staking their future on a veteran and doubling down with massive deals for stars like D.K. Metcalf ($150M), Jalen Ramsey ($84.7M), and a record-setting $123 million extension for T.J. Watt. FS1’s Colin Cowherd called the Steelers squad a dressed-up version of the Jets from last season, where Rodgers suffered brutally. “And this is why I said I thought Aaron would retire and not go to Pittsburgh, Cowherd said. “O-line issues, defensive culture, lost Najee Harris and their left tackle, the story reads like it’s the Jets. Just a more organized version.”
The Steelers have pushed all their chips to the center of the table, banking on Aaron Rodgers and a star-studded roster to deliver immediate success. But with early signs of struggle and little margin for error, the pressure is mounting fast, and Pittsburgh may soon find out whether their bold gamble pays off or blows up in their face.
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