Michael Wilbon calls Aaron Rodgers "irrelevant" amid return to Steelers

· Yahoo Sports

The headlines came quickly. The debates followed. Predictably, the conversation shifted toward whether the Pittsburgh Steelers had suddenly done enough to stave off the Baltimore Ravens and the rest of the AFC North. Had they become legitimate Super Bowl contenders simply because a future Hall of Fame quarterback joined the roster by way of a one-year, $25 million deal?

Longtime ESPN analyst Mike Wilbon isn't buying any of it. During a recent appearance on ESPN's highly popular First Take show, Wilbon dismissed the idea that Rodgers still deserves the level of attention that the network that has employed him for decades continues to offer.

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The legend offers that the four-time MVP simply isn’t the same player anymore, but he didn't stop there. Wilbon went a step further, making it clear that Rodgers’ presence in Pittsburgh doesn’t dramatically alter the AFC North hierarchy in his mind.

Mike Wilbon pours cold water on Aaron Rodgers hype

He labeled the Steelers, at best, the division's third-best team behind the Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals. That's a take Ravens fans will probably have little trouble embracing, and honestly, it's hard to argue against. Yes, Rodgers remains one of the most accomplished quarterbacks the NFL has ever seen. His résumé is untouchable. His future first-ballot Hall of Fame jacket is already waiting, but this isn't 2014.

As stated, Rodgers returns to Pittsburgh on a one-year, $25 million deal, reuniting with Mike McCarthy after the two spent more than a decade together with the Green Bay Packers. That familiarity helps. Experience matters. Leadership still carries value.

But nostalgia doesn't win divisions. The Steelers may absolutely be better with Rodgers than without him, but pretending his arrival suddenly transforms Pittsburgh into the AFC's newest powerhouse feels like wishful thinking.

Baltimore still boasts the conference's most dangerous dual-threat quarterback, Lamar Jackson, and one of the NFL's most stable organizations. Cincinnati, if healthy, still possesses one of football's elite quarterback-wide receiver pairings. Let's talk about Pittsburgh? They added a recognizable name with a legendary resume. That's not the same thing as adding the version of Aaron Rodgers opponents once feared.

Wilbon's point lands because it strips away the mythology. Rodgers remains relevant because of who he was. The Ravens' biggest concern is whether Pittsburgh improved. The idea that they should suddenly fear Aaron Rodgers like it’s a decade ago is another conversation entirely.

Rodgers may help Pittsburgh win a few games it otherwise wouldn't have, but let's not confuse incremental improvement with a seismic shift in the AFC North power structure. The Steelers added a legendary name. The Ravens and Bengals still employ quarterbacks playing at a far more dangerous level right now. That's exactly why Wilbon's take resonates. Respect the resume, but understand the present tense.

This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Michael Wilbon calls Aaron Rodgers "irrelevant" amid return to Steelers

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