Aaron Rodgers joining the Pittsburgh Steelers isn't bringing much excitement to two-time Super Bowl champion Chris Long.

Long appeared as a special guest on Monday's edition of the Rich Eisen Show. He explained why he doesn't view Rodgers as an upgrade over the likes of Russell Wilson, who started for the Steelers last season.

“If you were to tell me, ‘hey, I think this is an upgrade over Russell Wilson,’ I wouldn’t say I know that for sure,” Long said. “But if it is, how big of an upgrade?”

“I worry that they’ll just end up in QB purgatory again…If we end up in a situation where somebody’s not on the right side of the red line, famously, infamously, I could see some stuff like that happening and the growing pains being tough.”

What's next for Aaron Rodgers, Steelers

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) gets the ball during minicamp at their South Side facility.
Philip G. Pavely-Imagn Images
Article Continues Below
More Pittsburgh Steelers News
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Jalen Tolbert (1) scores the game winning touchdown against Pittsburgh Steelers safety DeShon Elliott (25) during the fourth quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Dallas won 20-17.
Steelers makes $12.5 million move on starting DBMatty Breisch ·
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) drops back to pass during minicamp at their South Side facility.
Why ex-Steelers WR sees ‘phenomenal fit’ for Aaron RodgersScotty White ·
image thumbnail
3 Pittsburgh Steelers in danger of getting cut after 2025 minicampGarrett Kerman ·
Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) and Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) talk at mid-field before their game at Heinz Field.
Ben Roethlisberger makes bold prediction for Steelers’ Aaron Rodgers in 2025Zachary Weinberger ·
Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin during minicamp at their South Side facility.
Why Mike Tomlin is changing Steelers’ practice scheduleBenedetto Vitale ·
3 Pittsburgh Steelers underrated sleepers who could break out in 2025 NFL season
3 Pittsburgh Steelers underrated sleepers who could break out in 2025 NFL seasonRB Hayek ·

It's a reasonable concern for Chris Long to have about the Steelers' situation with Aaron Rodgers. It's clear that it is a short-term solution to their issue at the quarterback spot, but it is one they will worry about after Rodgers leaves via free agency or possible retirement.

In his lone season with the Steelers, Russell Wilson was serviceable in his time as the starting quarterback. He helped them secure a playoff berth, but their momentum came crashing down after losing four straight games. They ended up losing 28-14 to the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Wild Card round.

This is where Rodgers can come in to provide stability to the Steelers' offense. They struggled with their consistency throughout 2024, something that the veteran quarterback can bring going into 2025.

Rodgers looks to start anew in the late stages of his career after a disappointing two-year stint with the New York Jets. He tore his Achilles in the 2023 season-opener and while he recovered from it to start 2024, New York struggled for the entirety of 2024 as they went 5-12. Despite this, Rodgers did have solid numbers with 368 completions for 3,897 yards and 28 touchdowns.

Rodgers and the Steelers would be on the same page in this area: playoff contention. The quarterback knows he still has plenty to give and the Steelers want to remain in the mix of teams who can make noise in the AFC. It will be intriguing to see if the two parties can mesh well together when the season gets underway.