Steelers Fans Given A Big Hint About Why Aaron Rodgers Doesn't Have A Future In Pittsburgh

Once again, the Pittsburgh Steelers are on the hunt for a quarterback. After 18 seasons with future Hall of Famer Ben Roethlisberger, the Steelers have struggled to find his replacement. The failures included acquiring Russell Wilson and Justin Fields in 2024. Both displayed positive attributes, but were not enough to assure fans they have what it takes to win a Super Bowl. 

Now, Steelers fans and the media are back at it again, linking them to every quarterback even remotely available for the 2025 season. They have been projected to draft players like Jaxson Dart and tied to veterans like Matthew Stafford and Aaron Rodgers. 

The Rodgers story has been ongoing after his failed return to glory with the New York Jets. News recently broke that the Jets plan to move on from Rodgers. According to Aditi Kinkhabwala, the 41-year-old Rodgers shared with her that he has accomplished all he wants in football, and while he feels he has a lot left in the tank, the situation must be a good fit. She said she saw the headlines about the Steelers being the "betting favorite" to land Rodgers, but she told Brandon Baylor on CBS Sports HQ that she doesn't see a world where Rodgers ends up in the Steel City.  

"The Steelers already went through this once with Russell Wilson, and by that, I mean a big name, big personality quarterback," said Kinkhabwala. "The goal is not to run that same idea back. The Steelers need leadership on the offensive side of the ball, and Aaron Rodgers, at the stage he's in in his career, is not looking to be a big brother to everybody. I feel like I'm sort of giving you a hint here, and I can't tell you the whole story, but we had a lot of conversations about Garrett Wilson and what he was openly saying to Garrett Wilson and what he wasn't and I think that people have a different appetite for being a mentor, for rallying a locker room as they get older in their career."

Kinkhabwala seemingly implied that Rodgers wasn't willing to mentor or work closely with Garrett Wilson, the Jets' young up-and-coming wide receiver. Garrett has tremendous potential, and rumors flew last season that he wasn't happy with New York, and could possibly demand a trade if Rodgers were to return. 

Rodgers was brought to New York as the team's potential savior. Unfortunately, he suffered an Achilles injury during their Week 1 game and missed the season two years back. The 2024 season wasn't much better. They finished with a worse record at 5-12 than they did without him in 2023 at 7-10. Regardless of what Vegas says, Kinkhabwala was adamant that Rodgers won't be in black and gold for 2025. 

"The Steelers know that they need a different solution in terms of personality," added Kinkhabwala. "That's not the way that you should expect them to go."

Pittsburgh has a very young offense, which is one of the reasons why Head Coach Mike Tomlin was attracted to Russell Wilson. His big personality was expected to clash with the blue-collar vibe in Pittsburgh, but instead, he embraced the city. The players, despite liking Fields too, seemed to embrace Russell Wilson and his leadership style. 

Like many veteran quarterbacks looking for a new team, it seems that Rodgers wants to win another Super Bowl. The Steelers don't seem to be only a quarterback away from that reality. 

Not All Steelers Are Excited About Aaron Rodgers

Many Steelers players were excited about the addition of Russell Wilson to the 2024 roster. There were stories about several players going out of their way to call and encourage him to come to Pittsburgh. However, the same must not be true of Rodgers. 

DeShon Elliott posted on Instagram they should "leave his a** at the retirement home." While he took criticism for being more vocal than he probably should have, he was just echoing what most fans are already saying.

Do you think Rodgers will come to Pittsburgh? Comment below!

#SteelerNation