The Pittsburgh Steelers still have a lot of uncertainty swirling around the team, and as summer practices continue to inch closer, the level of concern around the uncertainty grows. That uncertainty we speak of is largely focused around whether or not Aaron Rodgers is going to end up signing with the Steelers or not, which no one has the answer to as of now.
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Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin meets with former New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers after a game during the 2024 NFL season.
Despite the fact that Rodgers may not end up donning the Black and Gold in 2025, the Steelers still are a team that has a huge draw resulting in several games throughout the season with a high level of attention. Steeler Nation being one of the best fan bases in all of sports is part of it, but the history of the franchise and the team always being competitive also play a huge role.
One game that the NFL schedule makers had their eye on for the Steelers was their Week 8 home game where they host the Green Bay Packers. Mike North, the VP of Broadcasting for the NFL, recently joined 93.7 The Fan and discussed the Steelers' schedule. He highlighted that while it isn't a guarantee that Rodgers joins the Steelers, they needed to make sure that they took advantage of the opportunity to see Rodgers against the Packers should it happen.
"The one game we probably did pay a touch of extra attention to was the Packers game," Mike North said on the Steelers' schedule. "Obviously if he [Aaron Rodgers] is playing quarterback for the Steelers, this would be the first game he has played against the Packers since he left. That is probably not a game that would belong at one o'clock in the afternoon."
It is clear that even when Rodgers isn't playing, he still draws the attention of many throughout the country. When he is playing? A game against the team he spent most of his career with and won a Super Bowl with is a must watch.
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Steelers' Cam Heyward tries to get to Aaron Rodgers during a Week 7 matchup with the New York Jets in 2024.
North did mention that the game between the Steelers and Packers is still a great matchup regardless of the Rodgers situation, justifying its Sunday Night Football slot that week.
"That was probably the one game we at least probably at least kind of hedged on just a little. It is still Packers vs. Steelers. It is still a good Sunday night, Monday night, Thursday night game, regardless of who is playing quarterback for either of those teams."
The Steelers and the Packers are two of the most storied franchises in U.S. sports history, not just NFL history, so anytime these two teams meet up, it does draw a lot of attention. It is clear that people within the NFL scheduling office still believe the Steelers are must watch TV, as they continue to get scheduled in several primetime slots throughout the year. If Rodgers ends up signing with the team and starting the majority of the season, the eyes on those games will only increase.
As the year goes on, the NFL has the ability to flex certain games into different slots to get more eyes on certain games. If Rodgers and the Steelers are having a successful season and the opportunity presents itself, it shouldn't come as a surprise if more primetime games get thrown on the Steelers' schedule.
Steelers' 2025 Season Has A Murky Outlook If Rodgers Doesn't Sign
There are varying levels of optimism both around whether Rodgers will sign with the team, and to what level of success they can reach with him leading the Steelers' offense. However, should he not sign, the Steelers' quarterback depth chart has some people worried.
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Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph goes through his routine and prepares to throw a pass as the team practices during 2022 training camp at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.
Mason Rudolph is penciled in as the starter as it stands today, and some don't have much faith in him. It has been pointed out that Rudolph is the same quarterback who lost his starting spot temporarily in 2019 to Devlin "Duck" Hodges. Hodges, while incredibly fun to watch and a fan favorite, was a rookie camp signing that Rudolph should have been able to outplay by a large margin at the time.
That being said, people forget that Rudolph also led the Steelers to the postseason in 2023 by stringing together three wins at the end of the regular season. It has been an up and down career for Rudolph, but there have been moments of success that should show a little promise.
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