(Photo: TribLIVE Local)
Special Preview- NFL, Week One
Pittsburgh Steelers at New York Jets
Steelers
I’m over hearing about the “Mike Tomlin is on the hot seat” talks. I understand we’re in an era of sports where winning titles carries significant weight, but we’re talking about a coach who’s been with the team since 2007 and has never recorded a losing season. Even when the Steelers were eliminated from playoff contention, he still kept them competitive. That’s the good—now let’s talk about the bad. This organization hasn’t won a playoff game in nearly a decade. The last time they did, Ben Roethlisberger was still the quarterback, and Antonio Brown was still an active player. I still remember that Wild Card win against the Cincinnati Bengals. Since Ben retired in 2021, the Steelers have started a different quarterback in Week 1 each year: Mitchell Trubisky in 2022, Kenny Pickett in 2023, Justin Fields last season, before eventually switching to Russell Wilson. Replacing a Hall of Fame–caliber quarterback is never easy, and at some point, they’ll need to start grooming their next franchise signal-caller. One thing I found myself saying repeatedly last season was that they don’t run the football anymore. When you think of the black and yellow, you think of a consistent ground game. Instead, I found myself saying their version of a running game is short passes, mostly because their offensive line couldn’t run block effectively. Their defense has carried them, but even the best defenses need a break. This Sunday, they head to East Rutherford to face a team looking to snap their playoff drought.
Jets
2010—that was the last time the Jets played postseason football. Rex Ryan was the head coach, Mark Sanchez was the starting quarterback, and Darrelle Revis was shutting down your favorite receivers weekly. Since then, they’ve tried to get it right but always seem to get in their own way. I still remember when they acquired Aaron Rodgers from the Green Bay Packers in 2023—it felt like Brett Favre all over again, 15 years later. And then, in his Jets debut, Rodgers tears his Achilles and is lost for the season. 2024 wasn’t much better. While everyone predicted they’d be a playoff team, I wasn’t sold. I saw right through them—they had too many issues on the offensive line. Even trading for Davante Adams didn’t solve their problems. It doesn’t matter if you have prime Aaron Rodgers—if the offensive line isn’t protecting, it means nothing. If you’ve followed me, you know I’ve always said there’s a wave when it comes to coaching hires. Right now, that wave is former players coaching the teams they once played for, and the Jets hired Aaron Glenn to be their new head coach. I saw what he did as Detroit’s defensive coordinator, turning the Lions’ defense into one of the league’s best. I’m confident he’ll bring that same intensity to New York. On offense, Justin Fields is the starting quarterback, and his top target is Garrett Wilson—someone he already has chemistry with from their days at Ohio State. This team just needs the right leader (hopefully Glenn) and consistent quarterback play. Everything else is already in place. They welcome the black and yellow to town on Sunday.
Steelers X-Factor: Pat Freiermuth
One thing Aaron Rodgers has always done is target his tight ends—think back to Jermichael Finley in Green Bay. I could see him using Pat Freiermuth as a safety valve while he gets more acclimated to the offense. I watched Pat in college at Penn State, and he’s transitioned nicely to the NFL. He’s a reliable target over the middle and someone you look to on third down when you need a clutch catch.
Jets X-Factor: Will McDonald IV
One of the best moves the Jets made in recent years was drafting Will McDonald. I saw what Aaron Glenn did with Aidan Hutchinson in Detroit, and I can’t wait to see what he does with McDonald in East Rutherford. Will is athletic and powerful. He uses those traits to his advantage every time he’s on the field. He has long strides, physical yet scrappy hands, and plays with a high motor. Glenn is going to love working with him.
Final Thoughts
Aaron Rodgers signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers on June 5th. The minute I saw they were playing the Jets in Week 1, I knew this was must-see football. Rodgers returns to East Rutherford to face his former team. On the other side, Justin Fields—who played for the Steelers last year—now starts for the Jets. You couldn’t script a better storyline. The Steelers also added weapons on offense, including DK Metcalf from the Seahawks. I see this being a physical, defensive battle, and the team that creates a turnover late will come away with the win. As for the quarterbacks, both have something to prove. Justin Fields needs to show he can be a legitimate starter and lead the Jets to success under this new coaching regime—something Rodgers couldn’t do last season. Meanwhile, Aaron Rodgers is trying to prove he’s still a relevant, quality starter and help the Steelers finally earn their first playoff win in a decade. Rodgers gets some revenge on his former team, and the Steelers squeak out a Week 1 win.
