“I’m pretty sure this is it. That’s why we just did a one-year deal. Steelers didn’t need to put any extra years on that or anything. This was really about finishing with love and fun and peace for the career that I’ve had.” Aaron Rodgers told his best friend Pat McAfee on his show. And suddenly, it hit everyone. This might actually be his last dance. If he walks away after this season, the Steelers will be right back where they started: scrambling for a franchise QB in 2026. For now, though, Mike Tomlin is all-in on Rodgers, banking on the veteran to snap Pittsburgh’s 17-year Super Bowl drought. Because, if they roll with a rookie next year, they won’t be thinking title right away. They’ll be thinking about development. But here’s the twist – while Rodgers’ future hangs in the air, something bigger is brewing in Pittsburgh.
The Steelers aren’t just planning for life after Rodgers… they’re about to flip their entire locker room upside down. And if one insider is right, the changes will be stunning. That insider? None other than Mark Kaboly, the Steelers beat reporter who knows this organization inside and out. On the Kaboly and Mack Podcast, he dropped a few interesting tidbits that change everything we thought we knew about Pittsburgh’s plans.
“They got 12 to 13 more [draft picks] this year. Just by natural progression, this roster’s going to be 35% under the age of 24 next year,” Kaboly revealed. “So just by naturally going about your business, there’s a youth movement on its way right now.” The transformation becomes clear when you look at the math – next season will see a staggering 35% of Pittsburgh’s roster playing under the age of 24. That’s nearly four dozen fresh-faced athletes flooding the locker room, with another 12 to 13 draft selections about to join them. But these aren’t just roster moves – they signal something much bigger. The Steelers are executing a complete philosophical overhaul in how they build their team, breaking from decades of tradition in what might be the franchise’s boldest gamble in recent memory.
NFL, American Football Herren, USA Pittsburgh Steelers Minicamp Jun 10, 2025 Pittsburgh, PA, USA Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin during minicamp at their South Side facility. Pittsburgh Acrisure Stadium PA USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xPhilipxG.xPavelyx 20250610_szo_pa4_0121
This is the Steelers like we’ve never seen them before. While the Rodgers experiment gives them one last chance at glory in 2025, the real revolution starts the moment this season ends. The old Steelers would patch together veteran teams year after year. The new Steelers? They’re building for the future while still chasing wins today.
But not everyone’s convinced this high-wire act will work…
Aaron Rodgers arrives as the Steelers plan for life after him?
The Steelers’ all-in push for a Super Bowl with Aaron Rodgers has football fans split right down the middle. On one side, you’ve got skeptics like ESPN’s Ryan Clark, who can’t shake the feeling this whole move might backfire spectacularly. “Aaron Rodgers signing with the Steelers is the worse case scenario,” Clark argued. “I think he’ll play good enough, & the team will be just good enough to miss out on a franchise guy next year! One of the greatest players of the era, & one of its greatest head coaches… just years too late.” Ouch! That stings because it hits on every Steelers fan’s nightmare – getting stuck in that dreaded middle ground where you’re too good to draft a blue-chip QB but not good enough to actually win it all.
But then there’s Mark Kaboly, who sees this game through a completely different lens. On his podcast, the longtime Steelers insider made the case that Pittsburgh isn’t just throwing darts blindfolded here. “They didn’t sacrifice anything to get this done other than potential money that they were going to spend anyway,” Kaboly pointed out. His take? Why not swing for the fences when it costs you nothing but cash you’d burn anyway?
Newly signed quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers Aaron Rodgers 8 tosses grass to test the wind at the Steelers Mini-Camp on Tuesday, June 10, 2025 in Pittsburgh. PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxHUNxONLY PIT2025061009 ARCHIExCARPENTER
“In the past, they wouldn’t do anything like this,” Kaboly admitted, sounding almost surprised at the franchise’s new boldness. “So at least they’re trying for something. It might not work out, but at least they’re trying.” That last line might as well be the Steelers’ new motto – because whether this Rodgers experiment crashes or soars, they’re already planning their next move.
And what a move it could be! While Rodgers chases one last try at glory, scouts are already eyeing potential QB solutions for 2026. CBS Sports’ Ryan Wilson has his money on California’s Fernando Mendoza. “When he did have a little bit of time to get to a 2nd or 3rd read, his arm talent really showed,” analyst Mike Renner raved. “For a Pittsburgh Steelers team that plays in an outdoor division, Mendoza is the perfect type of quarterback to fit in that offense.“
Here’s the beautiful part of Pittsburgh’s plan – they’re playing both the short and long game simultaneously. Kaboly nailed it with his hockey analogy. “They pulled the goalie on the 2025 season.” They’re going for broke now while keeping one eye firmly on the future. Whether this bold strategy pays off won’t just define their season. It could reshape the Steelers’ identity for years to come. And love it or hate it, you’ve got to admit: it’s one hell of a story!
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