The Steelers legend sees a down season coming for Pittsburgh
Even though Ben Roethlisberger has been retired since the end of the 2021 season, but hasn’t gone too far from the football world. Steelers fans continue to get their dose of No. 7 through his podcast Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger, where current and former Steelers frequently join the two-time Super Bowl champion.
On the show’s latest episode, Roethlisberger broke down the Steelers’ schedule and gave his record predictions with a slight caveat. Big Ben predicts that the Steelers will have a losing record if Aaron Rodgers doesn’t join Pittsburgh, but has them outperforming their 2024 season if Rodgers does sign.
“I have us 7-10 without Aaron, and I have us 11-6 with Aaron,” Roethlisberger said.
Will the Steelers suffer a losing record without Aaron Rodgers?
Some may see this as a slight dig at the Steelers’ current quarterback room, specifically Mason Rudolph. That said, there clearly wasn’t any malicious intent with Roethlisberger’s predictions. Rather, he recognizes the difference between a future Hall of Fame quarterback and a career backup being on the field.
If and when Rodgers does join the Steelers, their ceiling instantly gets raised, as does their floor. If Rudolph is the starter, the ceiling is very low, frankly speaking.
Rodgers is coming off a season in which he threw 28 touchdown passes and 11 interceptions with 3,897 yards passing. Rudolph threw nine touchdowns and nine interceptions in eight games and five starts with the Tennessee Titans in 2024.