In any given year, roughly a dozen teams are in the Super Bowl window. Earlier this month, we took a stab at identifying this year’s team.
Our list didn’t include the Steelers. Aaron Rodgers’s list does.
“I think that there’s really only six to eight that really have a legitimate chance,” Rodgers told reporters on Thursday. “Sometimes it’s 10 to 12, and there’s teams that surprise you, but I would say on paper we’re probably one of those 10 to 12.”
Most would say on paper they’re probably not.
In the AFC, the top teams are the Chiefs, Bills, Ravens, Texans, Bengals. In the NFC, it’s the Eagles, Lions, 49ers, Rams, Commanders, Buccaneers. There’s 11.
If we’re adding one more, who gets the seat? Chargers, Broncos, Vikings, Packers? Steelers?
They’ll have the same chance as anyone else to do it. And if they manage to become one of the 10-12, how do the Steelers climb the mountain?
“I think it’s coming together, you know, times like this with these 17 or so practices that we have here and finding the chemistry and hanging out with each other in the lunchroom and snack and the different times that we have and, you know, growing together through our practice,” Rodgers said. “Mike [Tomlin], you know, wants to practice at the hottest time of the day, which, you know, is interesting, but I love it just because it’s a stressor, you know, you see how guys respond to adversity.”
That last comment is classic Rodgers. He chuckled as he said it, but it’s his way of making a point in a non-confrontational way. It’s “interesting” that Tomlin wants to practice at the hottest time of day. Which is Rodgers’s way of saying it’s different than the way he would do it.
We’ll be keeping our ears open for little things like that. Because if Rodgers thinks the interactions that happen at snack time are relevant to building a championship team, any sense within the locker room that the coach and quarterback aren’t entirely on the same page about everything becomes relevant, too.