Aaron Rodgers' Former Teammate Believes QB Is Excited To Join Steelers After Seeing 2025 Schedule

The Pittsburgh Steelers have still not figured out a solution to the organization's quarterback problem that has been going on for three years. If the season began today, Mason Rudolph would be the starting quarterback while rookie Will Howard backed him up, which is not necessarily a recipe for success as neither quarterback should be relied upon to start and win games. Rudolph had one small, good stretch with Pittsburgh in 2023, but other than that, he has proven time and time again that he is not a starter in the NFL. Pittsburgh's hopes for the 2025 season hedge on whether or not Aaron Rodgers eventually signs.

All signs point to Rodgers signing with the Steelers at some point, but it will always be hard to tell with the four-time league MVP. He is also weighing the possibility of retirement, which seems like a real threat to Pittsburgh as the days go along. 

The organization is now at the stage of the offseason where it should be expecting Rodgers to sign at any minute as the 2025 schedule has already been released, and one of Rodgers' former teammates believes the Steelers schedule should get the quarterback fired up. Rodgers' former wide receiver James Jones spoke about Pittsburgh's schedule on The Facility. 

"He should be juiced up with this schedule." Jones said. "I'm not even talking about the Packers. The Packers, y'all split ways, that's all good. We'll see you again. They'll probably celebrate him and all that stuff. But this Jets stuff, the way they disrespected him leaving down there."

The Steelers start the season off with a rough game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. Rodgers spent the last two seasons there, and things did not go well when he was released following the 2024 season when he spoke with the new regime for the Jets. He was essentially told that he was not wanted anymore, which should have excited to have the chance to beat them in Week 1 of the 2025 season.

In addition to what would be a highly anticipated game against the Jets who will be quarterbacked by Justin Fields, Pittsburgh will also take on the Green Bay Packers in Week 8 on Sunday Night Football. There are plenty of players still with the Packers that Rodgers played with, and the team is still coached by Matt LaFleur. There won't be as much animosity behind this game as the matchup with the Jets, but it would still be interesting to see, and it is a game Rodgers would want to win.

Rodgers played with Green Bay for 18 seasons, so he also has not noted rivalries that come from within the NFC North. Pittsburgh will take on all four teams, including the Chicago Bears in Chicago. 

Rodgers has always had fun playing against the Bears, and it has been a long-running joke that he owns the Bears. It is a very similar relationship to what Ben Roethlisberger has with the Cleveland Browns. The veteran quarterback is 24-5 versus the Bears, which bodes well for Pittsburgh going into 2025.

Steelers Have Zero Timeline When It Comes To Aaron Rodgers

Rodgers has always been public when it comes to his hatred of the NFL's offseason programs. He believes that the millionaires who play football shouldn't have to report to their employers until August for training camp. This means there is a good chance that Rodgers won't sign in Pittsburgh until that time rolls around, rather than signing earlier and taking the chance to attend mandatory minicamp to get to know some of his new teammates. 

He has plenty of accolades in the NFL and he is one of the oldest players in the league, he has the right to do what he wants, but it is this kind of talk that has the fan base in Pittsburgh on edge when it comes to the quarterback position.

What do you think about Jones' comments on Pittsburgh's schedule? Let us know in the comments below!

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