Aaron Rodgers didn’t love the question.
After a Dec. 15 victory, Rodgers listed Kenneth Gainwell, Connor Heyward, Adam Thielen and Marquez Valdes-Scantling as “castoffs” who are helping the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Naturally, a reporter asked Rodgers if he considered himself to be amongst that group.
“No, I’m not a castoff,” Rodgers replied matter-of-factly.
Whatever the label may be, the Jets made a decision to move on from Rodgers last winter. And now Rodgers has the Steelers on the precipice of the playoffs.
The Steelers (9-6) lead the AFC North by two games over the Baltimore Ravens (7-8) and could clinch the division as soon as this weekend.
A loss by the Ravens in Green Bay on Saturday would make the Steelers division champs. Even if the Ravens win, the Steelers would wrap up the AFC North crown with a road victory over the cellar-dwelling Cleveland Browns on Sunday.
While the statistics aren’t gaudy, the 42-year-old Rodgers has been the driving force behind the Steelers’ three-game winning streak over the Ravens, Miami Dolphins and Detroit Lions.
Sunday’s statement 29-24 win in Detroit marked the third game in a row in which Rodgers threw for at least 220 yards, completed more than 65% of his passes and did not throw an interception.
The winning streak follows Rodgers’ return from multiple fractures in his left, non-throwing wrist, which caused him to miss a Nov. 23 loss to the Chicago Bears and limited him during a Nov. 30 defeat by the Buffalo Bills.
“It’s been playoff-type football for us the last three weeks,” Rodgers said Sunday.
The Jets believed they were a quarterback away when they acquired Rodgers, a former Super Bowl champion and four-time NFL MVP, from the Green Bay Packers before the 2023 season. But the Jets, mired in a championship drought spanning more than five decades, really needed Rodgers to be their savior.
That didn’t happen, as Rodgers suffered a season-ending Achilles tear four offensive snaps into the 2023 season opener, then went 5-12 last year.
But while Rodgers had his share of controversies with the Jets — including missing mandatory minicamp in 2024 — his play improved as last season went on. He finished with 3,897 passing yards, 28 touchdowns and 11 interceptions — and threw four TDs in the season finale.
The Jets’ new regime of head coach Aaron Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey opted for a clean slate and released Rodgers, infamously having him fly across the country to inform him of his release.
Moving on from Rodgers also meant parting ways with his favorite wide receiver, Davante Adams, who signed with the Los Angeles Rams and leads the NFL with 14 touchdown receptions.
But with head coach Mike Tomlin and the steady Steelers, Rodgers hasn’t needed to be the savior. He’s simply needed to operate an offense that likes to run the ball and complement a bend-don’t-break defense that’s been among the NFL’s best at forcing turnovers.
“I was proud of our guys,” Rodgers said after beating the Lions. “Some games, the defense has stood on its head and given us a chance, and a few times we’ve done it [on offense]. Tonight was one of those times where we kept answering.”
For the season, Rodgers has passed for 2,860 yards and 23 touchdowns against seven interceptions in 14 games. That included a vintage four-touchdown performance in a Week 1 win over the Jets at MetLife Stadium.
The Jets, meanwhile, are in the midst of a frustrating 3-12 campaign in which quarterback play has been a significant shortcoming.
Former Steelers QB Justin Fields, whom the Jets signed to replace Rodgers, was benched after a Nov. 13 loss in New England.
The Jets are 1-3 in games started by veteran journeyman Tyrod Taylor.
And Sunday’s 29-6 loss in New Orleans was the second game in a row started by Brady Cook, an undrafted rookie who has thrown one touchdown pass against six interceptions.
With five first-round picks over the next two years, the Jets have ample ammunition to acquire a franchise quarterback, be it through the draft or by trading for a veteran.
But as the Jets play out another losing season, Rodgers and the Steelers keep finding ways to win.
“It says a lot about the guys that we’ve got,” Rodgers said Sunday. “It says a lot about the leadership, the organization and the players.”
