The Pittsburgh Steelers are betting big on 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers—but only Tom Brady has ever pulled it off
When the Pittsburgh Steelers signed
Aaron Rodgers
in the 2025 offseason, it was more than a quarterback deal—it was a roll of the dice against decades of NFL history. Rodgers, who turns 42 this December, is stepping into a season that very few quarterbacks have even reached, let alone conquered.
Just 22 quarterbacks in NFL history have thrown a postseason pass past age 40. Only 12 of those games were wins. Ten of them? Tom Brady's. That leaves two wins spread between Drew Brees and Brett Favre—and a long list of names who tried and failed. For Rodgers, this isn't just a comeback. It's a battle against the numbers, time, and a league that's never been kind to aging arms.
Aaron Rodgers is 42, injured, and fading—yet the Pittsburgh Steelers are betting their season on him
Aaron Rodgers
once spoke of 40 like a symbolic milestone. 'I'd love to play to 40,' he said back in 2018, when he was still 35.
'I just think that number means a lot. Obviously, Tom (Brady) is kind of rewriting the book. Brett (Favre) had a good season when he turned 40.'
Tom Brady didn't just rewrite the book—he burned it and wrote a new one. From 40 to 45, he threw for over 27,000 yards, led the league in touchdowns, and even lifted a Lombardi Trophy at 43. Across 98 regular-season starts after age 40, Brady stacked a 68–30 record. The rest of the over-40 crowd? 108 starts.
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Just 52 wins. A sub-.500 showing that exposes just how unforgiving Father Time can be.
Aaron Rodgers, by comparison, is entering this stretch already banged up. He tore his Achilles in his very first game with the Jets—just three months before turning 40—and hasn't looked the same since. Now with the Steelers, he's facing pass-rushers with reduced mobility, lingering knee and hamstring issues, and worsening metrics.
In 2024, he recorded a negative EPA per dropback against the blitz (-0.19), the worst mark among all quarterbacks with 300 or more attempts, per TruMedia.
He was also sacked 40 times.
That's not just a red flag—it's a warning siren.
What the Pittsburgh Steelers stand to lose in Aaron Rodgers' final shot
The Pittsburgh Steelers haven't tasted postseason success since 2017. And now, in what's expected to be Rodgers' final NFL season, they're placing their playoff hopes on a quarterback who hasn't played a full year since 2021.
No other team is relying this heavily on a player this late into their career with this level of physical concern. If it works, it's historic. If it fails, it could set Pittsburgh back for another rebuild.
Aaron Rodgers vs. time: One last chance to defy the odds
Aaron Rodgers is no ordinary quarterback—but the NFL is no ordinary league when it comes to age. Unlike Brady, whose dominance extended flawlessly into his 40s, Rodgers is arriving at this stage already bruised by injuries and dragging statistical warning signs behind him. The Steelers' bet on him isn't just bold—it's nearly unprecedented. In a league where history rarely makes exceptions, Pittsburgh is hoping they found one.
But right now, the math says otherwise.
Also Read:
T.J. Watt signs historic $123 million deal with Pittsburgh Steelers to become highest-paid defender in NFL history
Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
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