The Pittsburgh Steelers are less than a month away from kicking off training camp in Latrobe, PA. And while that is where they will kick off their 2025 season, it’s also where Aaron Rodgers will begin his final campaign in the NFL. And while many were apprehensive about the acquisition of the four-time MVP, many have come around to the move.

Of those on board with the addition of Rodgers is Steelers legend Jerome Bettis. Joining me on Bleav In Steelers, the Hall of Fame running back said signing Rodgers was the correct move.

“It’s a necessary evil,” Bettis said. “I mean people are saying ‘Oh, [they] shouldn’t have waited for him.’ Why? Why not? What else do you got to do? What else are we doing here? It’s just the craziest thing. ‘Oh, you shouldn’t be waiting on him, you’ve got OTAs.’ Are you serious? OTAs? This is why we have to rush into a decision?”

Bettis adds that the goal is to put the best team on the field, and Rodgers does that for the Steelers.

“You want to go into the season with the best possible team you can have,” Bettis said. “And the last few years, our biggest Achilles heel has been our quarterback production. We haven’t gotten great quarterback play. As a result, we are what we are – a mediocre football team. Middle of the pack. When you have a playoff-caliber defense and you’ve got a group of guys who you’re paying a substantial amount of money to, you do them a disservice by saying, ‘Oh, well, we’re just gonna go with a rookie quarterback.’ Aaron Rodgers is available; you take a shot.”

The Steelers will play their first preseason game on August 9th in Jacksonville against the Jaguars, and will begin their regular season on the road against Rodgers’ old team (and their old quarterback Justin Fields) when they face the New York Jets.