The Pittsburgh Steelers were notably put in a difficult situation at quarterback during the 2025 offseason. The organization wanted to bring back Justin Fields, but he agreed to a deal with the New York Jets shortly after the negotiating period ahead of free agency opening. Pittsburgh didn't want Russell Wilson back, which led to the franchise shifting its focus towards four-time league MVP Aaron Rodgers. The pursuit of Rodgers was covered in the media for nearly three straight months. The veteran took his time signing as he dealt with some personal matters, but he finally inked his contract ahead of mandatory minicamp.
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Aaron Rodgers warms up before the New York Jets' preseason game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Signing Rodgers isn't necessarily a risk due to his contract being fairly cheap, but it is a bit of a mystery as no one quite knows what to expect from him during the 2025 season. He struggled at times with the Jets during the 2024 season as he was coming back from an Achilles injury that kept him out for most of the 2023 season. However, he still looked efficient at times, and with a good defense, it is reasonable to think he could help lead Pittsburgh to its first playoff win since the 2016 season.
When it comes to his play, Rodgers is 41-years old, so no one is expecting to see that Rodgers that was constantly in the running for MVP. However, insider Albert Breer knows teams around the league feel strongly about Rodgers, which he shared on the Ryen Russillo Podcast.
"Talking to other teams who were evaluating him, they looked at him at the end of the year, the games against the Dolphins, the game against the Jaguars in particular, and they're saying, 'He still has a lot of it. There's not a huge decline in skill here,'" Breer said.
There was a handful of teams that seemed to consider signing Rodgers after it was made known that he would be released by New York. The Minnesota Vikings, New York Giants, and Cleveland Browns all seemed like potential possibilities, although it became clear quickly that if Rodgers was going to start in 2025, it was going to have to be in Pittsburgh.
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Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) practices at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex during the 2025 minicamp, Tuesday June 10, 2025.
Other executives and coaches believe that Rodgers hasn't lost much of a step. This is shocking considering his age and recent injury history, but it was obvious that he was improving as the season went along in 2024. Breer said that other people around the league paid close attention to New York's matchups with the Miami Dolphins and Jacksonville Jaguars, which were two games that came later in the year after he was further removed from his injury. The quarterback tallied seven touchdowns and just one interception during those games, and he finished with a quarterback rating of over 110 in each matchup.
If Pittsburgh can get production like that from Rodgers on a consistent basis, they should be a legitimate threat in the AFC. Other coaches and executives seem to believe that Rodgers is capable of doing so, which should significantly increase the ceiling of what this Steelers team can do in 2025.
Steelers' Aaron Rodgers Should Be More Comfortable In Pittsburgh Than New York
The 2024 season was an odd one for Rodgers in New York. His head coach was fired early on in the year, and the franchise traded for Davante Adams right around the trade deadline. It was likely hard to get into a solid groove with coaching changes and roster moves being made, and that shouldn't be an issue in Pittsburgh.
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Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams walk off the field together after a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Rodgers has already been working out with the skill guys for the Steelers, and the unit will get a full training camp together to make sure things are clicking. There is also something to be said about the fact that Rodgers might have a better group of weapons in Pittsburgh than he did in New York.
What do you think about these reports from Breer? Let us know in the comments below!
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