The NFL season officially kicked off on Wednesday, and while the excitement is through the roof, an ESPN analyst is already pouring some cold water on Aaron Rodgers’ “final year” with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Rodgers is back with the Steelers and reunited with his old Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy, sparking a ton of hope. But not everyone is buying into a deep playoff run.
Barnwell’s Backhanded Compliment for the Steelers
Bill Barnwell from ESPN dropped his 2026 NFL playoff predictions this Wednesday, and Pittsburgh got what feels like a backhanded compliment. Barnwell’s got the Steelers making it to the AFC wild card game, which, hey, playoffs are playoffs! But here’s the kicker: he’s not feeling Rodgers’ chances to go all the way. “I’m not optimistic about Aaron Rodgers making a deep playoff run in what is expected to be his final year as a pro,” Barnwell stated. Ouch. Talk about a gut punch right out of the gate for a guy in his supposed swan song season.
Why the Steelers Could Still Make Noise (Without Rodgers Carrying Them)
Barnwell’s take on Rodgers is brutal, but he also highlighted that the Steelers aren’t exactly a one-man show. He thinks the squad has “many other weaknesses” but then flips it, calling them “one of the league’s most underrated teams in the trenches, with a young, promising offensive line led by Zach Frazier and Troy Fautanu.” That’s huge! A strong O-line can make any QB look better, even if their arm isn’t what it once was. Plus, Barnwell pointed to a “great pass rush” and a potentially “excellent secondary if Joey Porter Jr. is on the field.” Add in the league’s eighth-easiest schedule, and Pittsburgh should hit around 10 wins and get back into the postseason, even “without (Mike) Tomlin in the picture.” So, the team is stacked, but the analyst thinks Rodgers is the weak link.
Rodgers won’t like hearing Barnwell thinks he doesn’t have the “chops” for a deep run. But hey, that’s what games are for, right? The Steelers hit the field for their first game of the season this Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons. Rodgers has a chance to prove everyone wrong, starting now.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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