When Aaron Rodgers was released by the New York Jets, the Pittsburgh Steelers immediately emerged as a possible landing spot for the veteran quarterback if he wanted to continue playing. As every team, except the Steelers, addressed their quarterback rooms, Rodgers and Pittsburgh seemed to be the only option for each other. However, the two still haven’t officially become a partnership yet.
While nothing is official yet, insiders believe the Steelers do expect Rodgers to eventually be their quarterback for the 2025 season. Dan Graziano made that clear in a recent ESPN piece answering 10 lingering questions about the NFL offseason. One of the questions was why didn’t the Steelers take quarterback more seriously, and Graziano explained that Pittsburgh isn’t as concerned about its quarterback room as everyone else because the team is confident Rodgers will eventually sign and provide good play.
"But in talking to sources about this situation, I don't get the sense the Steelers are as concerned about their quarterback room as everyone else. First of all, they remain optimistic that Rodgers will sign and be their starter, and that he'll play better than he did last season for the Jets now that he's one year further removed from his 2023 Achilles injury."Dan Graziano (ESPN)
The Pittsburgh Steelers reportedly optimistic Aaron Rodgers will sign
This sentiment has come from several sources in recent weeks, and it certainly seemed to be the case when Pittsburgh waited until the sixth round of the draft to select a quarterback. The problem, though, is that the sentiment is coming from everyone but Aaron Rodgers. When Rodgers spoke on The Pat McAfee Show, he didn’t sound like a person with a handshake deal to be the Steelers’ next quarterback.
Instead, he sounded like someone with a lot on his mind, including if he wants to still play football, and what team he would want to play for. Rodgers was honest about being in that place mentally, and he said he expressed that with interested teams. So unless he’s just bamboozling the public, it doesn’t seem like a guarantee he will join Pittsburgh.
Insiders say the Steelers think otherwise, and they better hope they’re right, because the franchise doesn’t have many other options for a competent starting quarterback.