Why has Rodgers signed for the Steelers at 41?

When Aaron Rodgers arrived astatine nan New York Jets successful 2023, he joked astir their sole Super Bowl trophy "looking lonely".

The Jets went each in connected nan NFL's four-time Most Valuable Player, who was expected to toggle shape them into title contenders.

The vibe was very different connected nan seasoned quarterback's first time pinch nan Pittsburgh Steelers connected Tuesday.

Rodgers played down talk of a Super Bowl tally while caput coach Mike Tomlin said "we'll make nary bold predictions".

And that seems to suit Rodgers conscionable good arsenic nan 41-year-old prepares for his 21st and perchance past play successful nan NFL.

After being released pursuing a disappointing 2nd play pinch nan Jets, Rodgers spent months considering his early and said successful April that "retirement could still beryllium a possibility".

He has chosen to play connected but not for his shot legacy. In 18 years pinch nan Green Bay Packers, Rodgers ensured he will caput into nan Hall of Fame arsenic 1 of nan NFL's top quarterbacks.

Since winning nan 2011 championship, a 2nd Super Bowl ringing has eluded him, but Rodgers said connected Tuesday that challenging for different is not his main motivation.

It is not money either. His one-year woody pinch Pittsburgh is worthy $13.65m (£10m) - 1 of nan NFL's lowest yearly salaries among guaranteed starting quarterbacks.

He still feels fresh capable too. Rodgers' first play pinch nan Jets was written disconnected by a torn Achilles but he started each crippled successful his 2nd and presently "feels good" physically.

He kept nan Steelers waiting because he needed clip to woody pinch his individual life, which he revealed connected Tuesday included getting married. Now he is fresh to attraction connected shot again.

"For my ego, I don't request to support playing," he said. "A batch of decisions I've made complete my profession and life from strictly nan ego - moreover if they move retired good - are ever unfulfilling.

"But nan decisions made from nan psyche are usually beautiful fulfilling, truthful this was a determination that was champion for my soul. This is astir nan emotion for nan game."

Pittsburgh person struggled astatine backmost since two-time Super Bowl victor Ben Roethlisberger retired aft nan 2021 season.

Justin Fields and Russell Wilson shared nan domiciled past season, and contempt a affirmative start, nan Steelers mislaid their past 5 games and bowed retired successful nan first information of nan play-offs.

Both past near - Fields replaced Rodgers astatine nan Jets - while nan Steelers brought successful back-ups Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson, and sixth-round draught prime Will Howard.

They still needed an obvious, knowledgeable starter, and they near nan doorway unfastened for Rodgers, who remained successful regular interaction pinch coach Tomlin.

Some felt Rodgers had excessively overmuch of a opportunity successful who nan Jets recruited and really they played, but he showed immoderate humility connected his first time pinch nan Steelers, saying he believes successful Tomlin.

"I conscionable want to beryllium a servant leader here, walk connected nan knowledge I have, and effort to fresh successful pinch nan guys," he added.

Rodgers is nan NFL's oldest progressive subordinate and will switch Roethlisberger arsenic nan Steelers' oldest-ever player.

After trying respective backmost options successful caller years, Tomlin is fresh to put his spot successful Rodgers' acquisition and leadership. "Read his resume," he said.

Strong defences person played a awesome portion successful Pittsburgh's six Super Bowl wins and that remains a hallmark of nan existent team.

The Steelers made a large move connected offence successful March by trading for Seattle receiver DK Metcalf, who trained pinch Rodgers successful nan off-season, but they past allowed some their starring receiver and moving backmost from past play to time off - George Pickens and Najee Harris.

Since winning back-to-back MVPs successful 2020 and 2021, Rodgers' stats person been successful diminution but ESPN expert Stephen A Smith said: "He's still sewage a small thing near and it's going to beryllium amended than thing we've seen successful caller memory. Give them a chance".

Ryan Clark, who played successful Pittsburgh's past Super Bowl occurrence successful 2009, said that Rodgers is "an upgrade but nary longer elite" and that his presence is "the worst-case scenario".

He and ESPN expert Dan Orlovsky judge nan Steelers will not make an effect successful nan play-offs but will "not beryllium bad enough" to unafraid an early prime successful adjacent year's draft, meaning they will miss retired connected a imaginable franchise quarterback.

Tomlin is nan NFL's longest-serving existent caput coach and nan squad has not had a losing grounds successful his 18 seasons successful charge, however, Pittsburgh person not won a play-off crippled since three-time Super Bowl victor Patrick Mahomes was drafted by AFC rivals Kansas City successful 2017.

If Pittsburgh tin look from arguably nan NFL's toughest section and summation a long-awaited play-off win, surely nan Tomlin-Rodgers pairing would beryllium deemed a success.

Rodgers said successful his documentary connected Netflix past twelvemonth that "I don't consciousness for illustration I request to beryllium thing to anybody but myself".

But if this is to beryllium his last twelvemonth successful nan NFL, nan schedule has provided plentifulness of opportunities to get nan past laughter against his friends and foes.

The Steelers sojourn nan Jets successful week 1 and host Ireland's first NFL crippled connected 28 September against nan Minnesota Vikings, rivals of Green Bay and 1 of 3 teams that said pinch Rodgers successful nan off-season.

Pittsburgh invited nan Packers successful week 8 and nan Steelers will sojourn some of Green Bay's different divisional rivals, Chicago and Detroit.

Two of nan NFL's champion quarterbacks are successful Pittsburgh's division, nan AFC North, truthful Rodgers could play 2 games against some Lamar Jackson (Baltimore) and Joe Burrow (Cincinnati), and he is group to look past season's MVP, Josh Allen (Buffalo).

"I conscionable want to person fun," Rodgers added. "I want to spell retired still knowing I tin do it, playing bully football, and if that comes pinch a title win, fantastic."