The Pittsburgh Steelers remain in the NFL quarterback carousel after watching Justin Fields sign with the New York Jets and Russell Wilson field interest from the New York Giants and Cleveland Browns, all while Pittsburgh awaits an answer from Aaron Rodgers.
Rodgers to Pittsburgh originally seemed like a foregone conclusion before the Minnesota Vikings entered the mix. Even Minnesota’s internal consideration over pursuing the future Hall of Famer pushed the franchise atop Rodgers’ wish list, forcing Pittsburgh to wait for a decision.
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Fortunately for the Steelers, Minnesota backed off Rodgers and committed to J.J. McCarthy as its starting quarterback in 2025. Days later, Rodgers visited Pittsburgh to meet with Mike Tomlin and top members of the Steelers coaching staff. However, the two sides never came close to signing a deal.
Shortly after the four-time MVP’s visit, NFL rumors surfaced that the All-Pro quarterback could still retire. It opened the door to the possibility of Pittsburgh’s top target being taken off the board. Suddenly, the possibility of having to resort to Wilson or even trading for Kirk Cousins. Thankfully for Tomlin, he might still get his way.
A league source told Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk that it’s a ‘safe bet’ that Rodgers would be the Steelers starting quarterback in 2025. While a signing isn’t imminent, the belief inside the NFL is that the 41-year-old quarterback will eventually sign with Pittsburgh.
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- Aaron Rodgers stats (ESPN): 3,897 passing yards, 28-11 TD-INT, 63% completion rate, 6.7 ypa, 90.5 QB rating, 40 sacks taken
A deal would also have a bit of a domino effect on the NFL quarterback carousel. With a return to Pittsburgh off the table, Wilson might be more inclined to take the Giants’ offer and join the team as the heavy favorite to beat Jameis Winston in the starting quarterback competition. If that happens, Cleveland will likely spend the second overall pick on Shedeur Sanders and the Falcons hold onto Cousins past the 2025 NFL Draft.
Rodgers is still a fascinating fit for the Steelers. While he would have two excellent vertical threats in DK Metcalf and George Pickens, both wide receivers tend to freelance on their routes and that has often draw the ire of Rodgers. Add that into the potential battle for targets between Metcalf and Pickens, it all makes for a ton of on-field drama for Tomlin to deal with in 2025.
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