Jerome Bettis Defends Pittsburgh Steelers’ Decision To Sign Aaron Rodgers

SportsMoneyJerome Bettis Defends Pittsburgh Steelers’ Decision To Sign Aaron RodgersByDJ Siddiqi, Contributor

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More their best option to win right now. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for SiriusXM)Getty Images for SiriusXM Jerome Bettis knows all the expectations of being a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers

The Hall of Fame running back — affectionately know as "The Bus" during his playing career — played 10 seasons in Pittsburgh (1996-2005), winning a Super Bowl at the conclusion of his career

During Bettis' 10 seasons with the Steelers, Pittsburgh advanced to the playoffs six times, posted a winning record seven times and advanced to at least the conference championship game on four occasions

They hope that with the addition of four-time MVP Aaron Rodgers, those fortunes will change. "The expectation is always high, period," says Bettis in a one-on-one interview. "That's not even a question mark

I'm not expecting you to come in and be average

That's never the expectation, because the standard has really been set

From that standpoint, what gave you the possibility to have a high standard in terms of not having that quarterback that you really need. "It was one of those necessary evils to go out and try to find another quarterback that can give you the best chance for success," Bettis continues to say. "There really wasn't very many out there in the open market

Aaron Rodgers was the guy. " Some ripped the decision to sign Rodgers due to him not wanting to participate in OTAs and due to the fact that he's a 41-year-old quarterback that's over three years removed from his last playoff appearance

MORE FOR YOU Bettis isn't one of those people

The 53-year-old Steelers great says he agrees with Pittsburgh's decision to sign Rodgers. "A lot of people were saying, why would you wait

If you don't wait, what's your other options

You have none," says Bettis

There's no need to really make a decision -- a rash decision -- because the guy doesn't want to go to some OTAs

And now you put your whole franchise at risk of a losing season and zero success, because you don't want to wait for a guy for a couple weeks

This didn't make sense to me

I thought they did the right thing in terms of giving themselves the best chance of having success. " The Steelers have never suffered a losing season during head coach Mike Tomlin's 18 years with the franchise

It's an NFL record for consecutive non-losing seasons

However, Pittsburgh has failed to advance deep into the playoffs in years

The Steelers still have a number of star players, including on the defensive side of the ball including former Defensive Player of the Year T

Watt and 14-year veteran Cameron Heyward

Heyward is 36 years old while Watt will be 31 years old this season

In other words, time is running out for Pittsburgh's veteran players, which is why they're in win-now mode by signing a veteran quarterback — who is at the end of his career — to a one-year deal. "There's no guarantee that Aaron Rodgers will be a success — there is no guarantee," says Bettis of Rodgers. “But we understand that that's part of the deal

That comes with the territory every year

You have a new team, and you have to develop it

Having Aaron Rodgers there creates a benefit. ” The Steelers recently traded for All- cornerback Jalen Ramsey and tight end Jonnu Smith from the Miami Dolphins, further cementing that they’re all-in to win this season after adding Rodgers

Ramsey will join stalwarts such as T

Watt and Cameron Heyward on the defensive side of the ball. "You've got a playoff-caliber defense and you'd be doing that team a disservice if you didn't get the best possible player you can get at the quarterback position," Bettis continues to say. "The last three or four years, it has been a lack of duction at the quarterback position, so you got to try to address it the best way you can

I think they did. " Jerome Bettis Opens Up On His Golf Game, Details Importance of American Century Championship Bettis, who retired after winning the Super Bowl ing the 2005 season, will be participating in the American Century Classic for the “15th, 16th or 17th time. ” He considers himself to be a good golfer, but says his game tightens up when he plays in the biggest celebrity-filled golf tournament

The tournament features over 80 athletes and celebrities, including the s of Josh Allen, Davante Adams, John Smoltz, Grant Hill and Matthew Tkachuk

The event takes place in Lake Tahoe and is the 36th edition, beginning play in 1990. “It’s been an incredible opportunity to get out and play,” says Bettis of playing in the tournament. "In terms of my golf game, it’s now

It’s been better some years, it’s good, but it’s challenging in tournament play

Put it this way, if I’m playing just with the guys, it's really good. “When you put the competition, you put the tournament, everything tightens up,” Bettis continues to say. “My game tightens up a little bit as well

That’s what I’m working on

Really expand that, but that's part of the cess

I have fun doing it and competing, so I plan to do it again this year. ” Bettis says his best finish in the tournament is 15th, a ranking he’s looking to imve upon as he enters this year’s tournament

The first day of the event is on July 9

He considers Tony Romo and Larry Fitzgerald to be his biggest competition among football players at the tournament

Romo has won the event three previous times

He says quarterbacks usually make good golfers and that he s to compete with Fitzgerald. “A guy Tony Romo is always going to be at the top of the list in terms of football guys,” says Bettis. “But the key is not necessarily to be to compete one-on-one against guys

My goal is to have the best finishing score that I have

I 15th, that’s my highest finish

That was during the COVID year, and so my goal is to try to beat that 15 and get higher

Have more success each day

We all have a great time

But it ultimately serves a purpose and it’s viding an opportunity to a lot of people that really need it. ” Editorial StandardsRes & PermissionsLOADING PLAYER.