S.I.’s Albert Breer Talks Aaron Rodgers & Steelers’ Long-Term QB Plan

Albert Breer thinks the reason Aaron Rodgers is heading to Pittsburgh has very little to do with money or scheme. It has to do with what the last two years in New York did to his joy for the game.

"For him, this is about enjoying playing football," Breer told Rich. "I think he struggled to find a way to do that in his two years in New York. There was just so much going on there."

Breer pointed to what Rodgers liked about his single Pittsburgh season last year. He could dive into being a football player. He did not have to be the face of the organization, because that role belongs to Mike Tomlin. He did not have to be the ayahuasca guy or the political activist. He could just play.

"It's a very veteran locker room with more guys that are peers of his," Breer said. "If this 22nd season for him as an NFL player was going to happen, it was going to happen in Pittsburgh."

The more revealing part of Breer's analysis was the case he built without ever quoting a Steelers source. He said you can read the team's actions louder than their words.

This could have been the offseason where Pittsburgh ripped the Band-Aid off, went younger at head coach, and let the roster age out. Instead, the Steelers hired Mike McCarthy, who is not a young coach. They held onto their core, including Cam Heyward, T.J. Watt, and Jalen Ramsey. Then they spent the rest of the offseason adding more veterans, not fewer.

Breer ran the list. They signed Rico Dowdle, entering his eighth season at running back. They traded for Michael Pittman, who is almost 30. They brought in Jamel Dean, also pushing 30, at corner.

"Does that seem like a team that's ready to roll Will Howard or Mason Rudolph out there at quarterback?" Breer said. "No."

The Pittsburgh side of the equation is also why so many people around Rodgers refused to speak on his behalf.

"It's like Fight Club, man," Breer said. "No one wants to be the one that's speaking for Aaron Rodgers."

On the longer-term quarterback question, Breer was careful to hold two ideas at once. He believes the Steelers would be comfortable playing Will Howard now if they had to. That does not mean they think Howard is the answer for the next decade.

"If they were very sure that Will Howard was their future, they probably wouldn't be spending a third-round pick on Drew Allar," Breer said.

He also flagged that another move could be coming in the next month, a reference to supplemental-draft candidate Brendan Sorsby. The Steelers have a decision to make on whether to put in a bid.

"There's a good chance the successor to Ben Roethlisberger isn't on the roster yet," Breer said. With all due respect, he added, to either of the young quarterbacks who already are.