Steelers nearly caused QB chaos? Analyst says drafting Aaron Rodgers after Big Ben would've created a total quarterback mess
Few rookie quarterbacks have ever burst onto the NFL scene quite like Ben Roethlisberger did in 2004. Selected 11th overall by the Pittsburgh Steelers out of Miami (Ohio), 'Big Ben' made an immediate impact by going 13-0 as a rookie starter and earning the Offensive Rookie of the Year title.
The Steelers looked to have finally found their franchise quarterback after two decades of instability at the position post-Terry Bradshaw.
Steelers avoided a quarterback nightmare by not drafting
Aaron Rodgers
, analyst claims
However, Roethlisberger's magic didn't completely carry over into the postseason. He threw two interceptions in a shaky Divisional Round win against the New York Jets—a game the Steelers should've dominated—and added three more picks in a blowout AFC Championship loss to the Patriots.
While fans remained hopeful, the front office wasn't entirely sold just yet.
That hesitation opened the door to one of the most intriguing 'what ifs' in recent NFL history.
According to NBC Sports' Mike Florio, then-Steelers pro personnel coordinator Doug Whaley revealed that Pittsburgh seriously considered drafting Cal quarterback Aaron Rodgers in 2005. Rodgers, who had been projected as a possible No. 1 overall pick, was unexpectedly slipping in the first round.
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'[Whaley] made a comment recently that in 2005, as Aaron Rodgers… was plummeting through Round 1, the Steelers were considering taking him, if he had made it all the way down to No. 30,' Florio shared via Pro Football Talk. 'Obviously, six spots earlier, the Packers took him at 24.'
Had Rodgers slipped just a few more picks, Pittsburgh might have made the boldest quarterback move in NFL history—selecting back-to-back first-round QBs in consecutive years.
Florio summed it up perfectly: 'Man, that would have been awkward… That would have been something, Roethlisberger one year, Rodgers the next year. Who would have emerged as the long-term option? Presumably one of them gets traded. That would have been a mess.
'
Ultimately, Rodgers went to Green Bay, and the Steelers chose tight end Heath Miller at No. 30. Far from a mere fallback, Miller carved out a legendary career in Pittsburgh, earning two Pro Bowl nods, two Super Bowl rings, and setting every major tight end record for the franchise.
In hindsight, both teams struck gold. The Steelers won the Super Bowl that season—largely on the strength of their defense and running game—and added another in 2008, with Roethlisberger playing a leading role. Meanwhile, Rodgers waited three years behind Brett Favre before finally starting—and then defeating Roethlisberger in Super Bowl 45.
Neither quarterback returned to the big stage again, but between them, three Lombardis and a legacy of consistent excellence prove both franchises made the right call on that fateful April day in 2005.
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