Bill Simmons Questions Aaron Rodgers’ Performance After Steelers Loss

Bill Simmons, a commentator for the Ringers, raised concerns about Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers’ recent struggles following a “particularly bad” showing from the quarterback in a 25-10 defeat against the Chargers at SoFi Stadium on Sunday night.

On Monday’s episode of the “Bill Simmons Podcast”, he pondered whether the 41-year-old Rodgers is physically declining after the Steelers dropped to a 5-4 record during prime time play.

“I’m Rogers, it’s Sunday night, and [NBC Sports analyst] Cris Collinsworth was upbeat throughout. The game had all the makings of something good, but the Steelers were really disappointing. Rodgers was particularly off,” he remarked.

Simmons speculated, “Could this be a case of his physical issues manifesting after two months, and could he somehow fix this? But as the season progresses and he takes more hits, it’s almost like we’re seeing him break down.”

On the night, Rodgers managed to complete 16 of 31 passes for 161 yards, achieving a season-low passer rating of 50.6. He was sacked three times and threw two interceptions, struggling with inaccurate throws that hampered the offense significantly.

“Unfortunately, he didn’t look like a confident quarterback,” Simmons added. “By the second half, he reverted to the performance we saw last year, the version you don’t want taking hits.”

The Steelers’ only touchdown came late in the fourth quarter when Rodgers connected with Roman Wilson for a 27-yard score. Unfortunately, they’re now 0-3 in prime-time games this season.

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin was sparse with words about Rodgers’ performance. When asked by a reporter to evaluate it, he responded simply with, “Next.”

Rodgers, taking responsibility, noted that these kinds of performances are part of the “ebbs and flows” of a season.

“This wasn’t my best performance,” Rodgers acknowledged. “We need to improve. Regardless of the circumstances, whether it’s a good check or a good throw, we have to be better. And we will… Offensively, we must do better for sure. But this is just part of the season, with its ups and downs—riding the waves can be tricky.”

Next up, the Steelers will take on the Cincinnati Bengals (3-6) in Pittsburgh on Sunday.