Aaron Rodgers Hypes 'Castoffs' After Steelers' Win vs. Dolphins amid Playoff Picture

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers reveled in the fact that several "castoffs" contributed to the team's 28-15 win over the Miami Dolphins on Monday night.

Speaking to reporters after the win, which improved the Steelers' record to 8-6 on the season, Rodgers said, "There's some castoffs if you look at our roster, which makes it really special. Kenny Gainwell signed a next-to-nothing contract. Connor Heyward, an afterthought, had a touchdown run. Marquez [Valdes-Scantling] has been on a couple teams. Adam Thielen got cut. [Asante] Samuel [Jr.] was on the street for a long time. So says a lot about the character of the guys we brought in."

With the win, the Steelers maintained their one-game lead over the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC North, and they continue to hold the No. 4 seed in the conference.

▶️ Full Dolphins-Steelers Recap

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All of the players Rodgers mentioned were contributors to Monday's victory, and many of them were acquired by the Steelers when seemingly few other teams wanted them.

Gainwell rushed for 80 yards on 13 carries and caught seven passes for 46 yards, Heyward had a one-yard rushing touchdown, MVS had a 19-yard touchdown catch, Thielen caught one pass for seven yards and Samuel had the game's only interception.

It can be argued that Rodgers was a castoff of sorts as well after getting released by the New York Jets during the offseason.

All of the other starting quarterback jobs in the NFL filled up, leaving the Steelers as essentially Rodgers' only option if he wanted to be a starter in 2025.

Although there was plenty of skepticism, the Rodgers-Steelers pairing has largely been a good one thus far, as Pittsburgh controls its own destiny with regard to an AFC North title and playoff spot.

The 42-year-old Rodgers has performed well individually considering where he is in his career, as he has completed 66.8 percent of his passes for 2,594 yards, 22 touchdowns and seven interceptions.

Just two seasons ago, Rodgers suffered a torn Achilles in the Jets' season opener, and there were plenty of questions regarding whether he would ever play again.

However, he returned to start all 17 games for the Jets last season, and he has the Steelers firmly in the playoff mix this season.

It is fair to wonder if the Steelers have the pieces needed to go on a deep run should they reach the playoffs, but the fact that they are even in this position is a testament to the perseverance of their players.