Top reasons for Steelers’ surprising 4-1 start: Aaron Rodgers, Mike Tomlin leading the way

While the 2025 season was an unmitigated disaster for the other three AFC North teams, the… Steelers humming and standing on the cusp of another winning season under Mike Tomlin.

At 4-1, the Steelers are 2.5 games ahead of second place Bengal for first place in the North. If the Steelers can leave Cincinnati with a win on Thursday night, it will likely take an unlikely collapse for Pittsburgh to clinch the first division crown since 2020.

While the fate of their divisional foes has made things easier, the Steelers have created their own luck. After losing five straight games to close out the 2024 season, Pittsburgh did everything they could to ensure this season would be different. It’s early, but the 2025 season has indeed been dramatically different for the black and gold players.

What has changed? How did the Steelers go from a rudderless ship at the end of last season to a runaway division champion who seems more than capable of enduring their nine-year drought without a playoff win?

Here are the top five reasons for Pittsburgh’s hot start.

5. The Pittsburgh Brain Trust

In retrospect, the Steelers’ five-game losing streak to end 2024 was a blessing in disguise, as it convinced the team’s leadership that drastic changes needed to be made during the offseason.

And boy, have the Steelers made drastic changes. Here’s a look at the notable offseason moves made by GM Omar Khan and assistant GM Andy Weidl.

In retrospect, all of these moves/decisions seem like no-brainers. But more than a few of those were anything but at the time, especially the decisions to trade Fitzpatrick and wait and sign Rodgers right before the start of minicamp. But all of these moves have proven to be the right ones at this point in the season.

4. Up and coming young players

In any salary cap competition, a team must see the development of its young players if it wants to find success. That has largely been the case for the Steelers this season and it is a big reason for the 4-1 start.

Specifically, the Steelers are getting weekly growth from their young offensive line. After a rough start, the unit has allowed just two sacks over the past three games, including zero sacks in last Sunday’s win over the Tanning. On Sunday, two weeks after racking up a season-high 131 yards on the ground in a win over Minnesota, Pittsburgh’s offense lasted 100 yards against the NFLs top-ranked run defense.

While he’s playing better up front, Rodgers is also benefiting from a rising group of tight ends, led by Darnell Washingtonwho, at 6-foot-4 and 267 pounds, is a nightmare of a matchup for opponents. His blocking was also a valuable facet of the Steelers offense.

Defensively, the Steelers have gotten fantastic play from a first-round rookie Derrick Harmon and third-year outside linebacker Nick Herbig. Harmon (who missed the first two games of the season due to a knee injury) recorded his second sack of the season in the win over Cleveland. Herbig had two sacks against the Browns and is the current team leader with 4.5 sacks.

3. Veterans who meet the standard

Across the board, the Steelers are getting contributions from their veteran players above the line.

Isaac. remains the elder statesmen for Pittsburgh’s offensive line. Newcomer Kenneth Gainwell has proven to be a worthy successor to Harris, while complementing him Jaylen Warren in Pittsburgh’s backfield. Metcalf has quickly built a bond with Rodgers and has been a huge upgrade over the talented but enigmatic Pickens.

The Steelers have especially gotten a boost from their veteran players on defense, starting with their two stalwarts, TJ Watt and Cam Heyward.

Heyward had a crucial forced fumble and pass deflection that led to an interception in Pittsburgh’s Week 2 win over the Patriots. In the Steelers’ last three games, Watt has recorded four sacks, one forced fumble, one interception and one fumble recovery.

At inside linebacker, the Steelers have gotten better play from the starters Patrick Queen And Payton Wilson. Now in his second season in Pittsburgh, Queen appears much more comfortable this year as he continues to wear the green dot. Wilson has also seen an uptick in play as he has embraced his new role, which includes sharing time with veterans Cole Holcombwho has given the defense a shot in the arm after missing all of last year with an injury.

Perhaps no new Steelers player without Rodgers has had a bigger impact than Ramsey, who had two sacks in Sunday’s win over Cleveland. Ramsey gave a taste of what was to come when he shut down Rodgers during the first week of training camp. Ramsey then turned headsand he continues to do so now.

“I can’t say enough about Jalen Ramsey, guys,” Tomlin said after Sunday’s win. “He plays corner, he plays nickel, he plays free safety. He’s exactly what we hoped he would be, and he was definitely important today.”

Ramsey also got some love after the game from Rodgers, who made a point of praising Ramsey’s performance on Sunday after questioning whether he would play with a hamstring injury and with an upcoming Thursday night game in Cincinnati looming.

“Incredible player, person and teammate,” Rodgers said. “I think he showed us all what kind of man he is by coming out and playing today.”

2. Mike Tomlin

Like all head coaches, Tomlin certainly gets the blame when things don’t go well, so it’s only right that he gets some of the credit for the Steelers’ 4-1 start. By the way, this was Tomlin’s vision when the Steelers were revamping their roster this season.

Look no further than the rise of Gainwell for an example of Tomlin’s vision being realized. When looking for Harris’ replacement, Tomlin liked what he saw on Gainwell’s tape during his time with the Eagles. Tomlin saw a player who played alongside due to circumstances Saquon Barkley – was not used to its full potential. Gainwell will now get a chance to shine in Pittsburgh, thanks in large part to Tomlin’s foresight.

Perhaps Tomlin’s two biggest impacts this offseason were the acquisitions of Ramsey and Rodgers. Tomlin liked Fitzpatrick and recognized that trading him was a difficult decision, both professionally and personally. But it has proven to be the right move considering the impact Ramsey has had on the Steelers defense.

Tomlin and Rodgers have long been mutual admirers, and that longstanding admiration ultimately led to positive offseason conversations that led to Rodgers signing with the Steelers instead of retiring. That has led to Rodgers giving the Steelers their best play at the quarterback position since Ben Roethlisberger.

While the talent acquisition has been impressive, Tomlin’s management of the Steelers roster is even more impressive. Despite significant roster turnover and the acquisition of several major players, Tomlin’s message continues to resonate with his players, who in turn continue to win games for their coach.

1. Aaron Rodgers

Quarterback is the most important position in sports, so it only makes sense that Rodgers would take the top spot.

That said, Rodgers didn’t get the top spot just because of his position. His presence has been instrumental in more ways than one and is the biggest reason for the Steelers’ 4-1 start.

On the field, Rodgers may not be playing at his MVP level, but he’s not far from there.

Through five games, Rodgers is completing 68.8% of his passes with 10 touchdowns and three picks. He has been a big reason why the Steelers are in the top 10 N.F.L in the red zone offense, which was a big reason why Pittsburgh wanted to sign him.

Rodgers does this with a team he joined just before minicamp and didn’t take a live snap with until the regular season opener. He’s playing in a new offense and with new teammates, including a second-year center and a group of unproven wideouts outside of Metcalf and Calvin Austin IIIwho was injured and inactive for Sunday’s win over the Browns.

What is the secret to Rodgers’ success? He has embraced every facet of being a Steeler, which includes being indoctrinated into the team culture (including sharing a dorm room with Metcalf during training camp), getting to know his new teammates on a personal level, pushing the teammates in an endearing way, showing patience when things haven’t gone well, and working with offensive coordinator Arthur Smith.

It also helps that Rodgers still has his elite touch, which has made him a surefire first-ballot Hall of Famer.

It’s certainly not how they envisioned it, but the Steelers have finally found Roethlisberger’s successor. The two try to make the most of their time together, no matter how long it lasts.

Despite the 4-1 start, there are undoubtedly those who still doubt the Steelers, who started 10-3 last year before things fell apart. Along those lines, Rodgers was asked about the Steelers after his first training camp practice Super Bowl prospects. He said at the time that the Steelers were probably among the 10 or 12 teams that had a legitimate chance to win the Super Bowl.

After Sunday’s win, Rodgers wasn’t quite ready to crown the Steelers as AFC queen. However, he was willing to acknowledge that the Steelers are on the right track after five games.

“That’s where we want to be,” Rodgers said of joining the AFC. “We’re putting ourselves in a position to have that conversation.”