Aaron Rodgers was never going to fade away quietly at the end of his Hall of Fame career.Not for the first time in his 22 years in the league it was hard to know whether Rodgers was taking accountability or handing out blame.Aaron Rodgers took a hammering from the New England defenseGettyRodgers has started his final season in the NFL like many of his most recent campaignsGettyMore recently it has appeared to be the latter as the four-time league MVP has failed to hit the heights of his storied career – and made just as many headlines for his comments, than his play.After Sunday’s miserable defeat to the New England Patriots it looks like he might be happy to take a few names down with him – just a few weeks after wideout Roman Wilson was on the receiving end.While seemingly preparing to take some of the blame for a dire offensive display, Rodgers went on to suggest that his only part was to let the sideline know what wasn’t working.“In a game like today, where there is no flow to it, we need to be better and it starts with me,” he said in his postgame media availability.NFL Weekly Newsletter - SIGN UP!talkSPORT is your home for NFL in the UK as we launch our biggest year of coverage yet!2026 promises to be an epic year for NFL on talkSPORT – and we want you to join us for the ride.MORE INFO & SIGN-UP HERE!This season will be our biggest ever with live commentary of 90+ games, including behind-the-scenes access to international games and all three London fixtures, plus bumper coverage of Super Bowl 61 at SoFi Stadium.Exclusive interviews, hard-hitting opinion, latest front-office drama and top breaking news – all delivered straight to your inbox each week.“Making sure Mike knows what is working and what is not working – our coaches know, so we give ourselves a better chance of winning the game.Rodgers and the Steelers racked up just three points and 225 yards of total offense in a 20-3 defeat to the reigning AFC champions – and are averaging just under 4 yards per play so far this season.He was 23 of 39 passes for 187 yards, one interception and no touchdowns, while he was also sacked four times on 43 drop backs.It prompted some to question what it would take for the Steelers to bench the 42-year-old who confirmed in the summer that this would be his last season in the NFL.Veteran CBS reporter Dan Sampson posted to X: “Welcome to the Aaron experience. Plenty of excuses and no performance.”Why did Aaron Rodgers continue playing?Rodgers was tempted into one final – and 22nd season – in the league after helping the Steelers into the playoffs under Mike Tomlin in 2025.View Tweet: https://t.co/Q2INKjwMPxHowever, Tomlin then called time on his 19 seasons in charge of the franchise, who turned to Rodgers’ Super Bowl winning coach in Green Bay to lead their new era, 62-year-old Mike McCarthy.It seemed a surprise at the time, but Rodgers welcomed the news in a summer that has also brought in a new OC for the veteran as Brian Angelico takes his first steps as an OC.Famously Rodgers doesn’t have much time for mentorship, or guiding NFL novices, whether that’s potential successors at quarterback or those with the headsets on the sidelines.New Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy has struggled to get the offense going after two weeksGettyIt looks like patience may already be wearing thin after Sunday’s Week 2 defeat and the noise is unlikely to quieten down after Tomlin also took aim at the offensive troubles from the broadcast booth.“From my perspective that don’t have a place to hang their hat,” Tomlin told Football Night In America when asked about an offense that has converted just five of 25 third downs through two weeks of the season.“They haven’t established the run, they are not performing well enough on third downs and to make matters worse they are not getting yards in chunks.“Sometimes if you can get yards in chunks it can cover up some other inadequacies.“They can’t solve all of their problems at once, but they need to solve at least one of those problems….and really soon.”View Tweet: https://x.com/hashtag/Steelers?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5EtfwRodgers kicked off the season with a narrow victory over an Atlanta Falcons team that looked terrible in a 34-3 beating by Carolina on Sunday.His statistics were remarkably similar, completing 24 of 40 attempts for 221 yards and one touchdown, rather than one interception.They are all numbers indicative of a 40-something, middle of the pack quarterback and has serious questions about whether he can elevate a team.The bad news for Pittsburgh is that there is not much behind him. Mason Rudolph was briefly in the game on Sunday, while Drew Allar is little more than a prospect that fascinated a desperate fans base in preseason.It is unlikely Allar sees the field unless injury or form deserts the Steelers who already look destined for (another) middle of the pack seasonNext up is AFC North rival Cincinnati Bengals, who has two wins from two games and a much improved defence under Al Golden.It’s may not get any easier for Rodgers, and he will make sure everyone knows about it.Join talkSPORT’s dedicated US Sports YouTube channelThe S* Word every Tuesday and Thursday for our brand new NFL shows.On Tuesdays, Will Gavin and US senior reporter Brian T. Smith will debate the biggest talking points from the NFL weekend, while on Thursdays Efe Obada joins the crew to talk to players past and present and break down what to look for across the league.