Aaron Rodgers Takes Heat Off Young Tackle, Urges Patience After 4-Sack Game

The Pittsburgh Steelers may have opened the 2025 season with a dramatic 34-32 victory over the New York Jets, but not everyone on the roster had their best day. Left tackle Broderick Jones was singled out after being responsible for three of the four sacks surrendered on quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

Rodgers, however, refused to throw his young lineman under the bus. Instead, the 41-year-old quarterback took accountability, citing his own lack of mobility in the pocket. “I don’t think I was moving that well, so I think I ran kind of into at least one or two sacks,” Rodgers admitted. “I gotta do a better job of using my legs. I might be old, but I usually move around pretty good, and I wasn’t moving the way I like to move.”

The veteran QB added that overall protection wasn’t disastrous. “I thought the protection was good for most of the game. There’s a couple fundamental things to clean up. I just gotta get the ball out,” Rodgers said.

Rodgers also made sure to praise Jones, a 2023 first-round pick who replaced Dan Moore Jr. as the starting left tackle this season. “I really like Brod. Got to know him during training camp. I like his attitude. He’s a genuinely positive guy. I’ve got a lot of confidence in him,” Rodgers noted, showing faith in the young lineman.

Jones, for his part, owned up to the struggles when speaking to reporters after practice later in the week. “Just gotta continue to focus in,” Jones said. “I can’t put that on tape. Just can’t have that performance.” When asked what specifically needed improvement, he simply replied with a laugh: “Everything. It’s always a game of inches, so all the little details matter.”

Coaches and teammates weren’t overly surprised by Jones’ rocky start, as he had shown similar inconsistencies throughout training camp. Slimmer than in past years, Jones frequently struggled to anchor himself against Pittsburgh’s defensive linemen during practice. Unfortunately for the Steelers, those same problems reappeared in Week 1.

Despite the rough outing, Rodgers’ vocal support suggests the Steelers are committed to letting Jones grow into the role. And with a Hall of Fame quarterback backing him up, Jones still has time to find his footing in 2025.