Renowned sports commentator Skip Bayless has delivered a scathing verdict on Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, declaring the veteran player is officially 'washed up'. The criticism comes on the heels of a disappointing Sunday Night Football performance that saw the Steelers fall to the LA Chargers.
A Night to Forget for Rodgers
The match against the Chargers was one Aaron Rodgers will want to erase from memory. The 41-year-old quarterback had a statistically poor game, completing only 16 of his 31 pass attempts for a meagre 161 yards. He managed to throw a single touchdown but countered it with two interceptions, contributing to his team's 25-10 defeat.
This performance marked a significant low point for the player, with his completion percentage of just 51% being his worst in the last five years.
Bayless's Blunt Assessment
Appearing on the Underdog Sports programme 'The Arena: Gridiron', Bayless left no room for ambiguity regarding his opinion on Rodgers' current form. He told co-hosts Aqib Talib, Jay Gruden, Gerald McCoy, and Cody Kessler, "All I know for sure is, and I'm going to go deep on this one more time, Aaron Rodgers is washed up. LeBron likes to call it 'washed'. I'm going to stick with it. Washed."
He elaborated further, stating that the player he witnessed was a "shell of himself". Bayless argued that Rodgers has lost his nerve in the pocket, claiming he now ducks for cover at the slightest sign of pressure. "He is on borrowed time, and he knows it, and he just doesn't have the stomach to take the hits you have to take in that position to win football games from the pocket," Bayless asserted.
While conceding that Rodgers can still throw the ball effectively, Bayless was critical of his mobility and tendency to make wild, high throws because he is "cowering in the pocket".
Steelers' Season Takes a Turn
The fallout from this game extends beyond individual performance. After a promising 4-1 start to the season, the Steelers have now lost three of their last four games, dropping their season record to 5-4.
The team's sole victory during this difficult period came against the Indianapolis Colts, a win that was heavily reliant on the Colts conceding six turnovers. Bayless pointed to this, suggesting that unless the Steelers can force a similar number of turnovers in future games, their current recipe is not sustainable with Rodgers at the helm.
This controversy adds another layer to what has already been confirmed as Rodgers' final season, with the quarterback having previously revealed his plans to retire at the end of the campaign.
