Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has seen it all throughout his 21 seasons in the NFL. He spent 18 of those years with the Green Bay Packers, first behind Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre before taking the reins in 2008. Rodgers was masterful in Wisconsin, leading the Packers to a 2011 Super Bowl victory while passing Favre for the most passing touchdowns in Packers history, but nothing lasts forever. After a disastrous two-year stint with the New York Jets that was marred by a torn Achilles injury just five plays into his first game with the team, Rodgers' future was uncertain, with retirement looming. Rodgers' storybook career had another chapter however; this one in Pittsburgh, PA.
Jared Wickerham / Getty Images
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) during a regular season game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025 in Baltimore, MD.
Similar to Rodgers' tenure in Green Bay, future Hall of Fame quarterback Ben Roethlisberger gave the Steelers stability at the quarterback position from 2004 all the way through 2021 until Roethlisberger's retirement. Without him, the Steelers have been searching for that stability at the quarterback position once again. The team first drafted quarterback Kenny Pickett in the first round back in 2022 to jumpstart that process again.
Pickett was the starting quarterback for about two seasons before the Steelers turned to quarterbacks Russell Wilson and Justin Fields for the 2024 campaign. While the Steelers made it to the Wild Card Round of the playoffs before a loss to the Buffalo Bills, the quarterback play between Wilson and Fields was inconsistent at best. Heading into the 2024 season with a veteran-laden roster, it became evident that Pittsburgh needed a win-now quarterback to maximize their championship window. That's where Rodgers enters the story.
During a recent media availability, Rodgers spoke to reporters about when he knew Pittsburgh was the right choice for him after New York.
"When I got here, day one, minicamp, I felt like it was a little different in a good way," Rodgers explained. "I liked the feeling. And then obviously the Latrobe experience was a really positive one... It's a good chemistry building, team bonding opportunity."
Rodgers took his time during the offseason to decide whether to continue his Hall of Fame career and which team he would play for. It became evident after other free agent signings, such as Fields' two-year contract with the Jets early in free agency, that if Rodgers were to come back, it would be with the Steelers.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) practices at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex during the 2025 minicamp, Tuesday June 10, 2025.
Rodgers finally signed with the Steelers just as mandatory minicamp was kicking off. The Steelers hold their full training camp at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, PA, in July. Unlike minicamp, which is closed to the public, the Saint Vincent College experience is almost fully open to the public and offers a unique team-bonding experience, which Rodgers noted immediately. The Steelers and Head Coach Mike Tomlin do things the right way, and a veteran like Rodgers, in his 20+ years in the NFL, knows what that looks like and appreciates it.
Steelers Enter Playoffs United
The Steelers' 2025 regular season was full of ups and downs. After an electric start, the Steelers faltered to a 6-6 record before winning three straight over the Baltimore Ravens, Miami Dolphins, and Detroit Lions. In true 2025 Steelers fashion, they then lost a game to the lowly Cleveland Browns that would have clinched the AFC North division title. This loss set up a Week 18 showdown with the Ravens for the division and a playoff spot. While other teams may have focused on the squandered opportunity of the past, the Steelers are a squad of veterans and immediately flipped the page to Baltimore.
Jared Wickerham / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' Aaron Rodgers embraces Head Coach Mike Tomlin after a big win on the road against the Detroit Lions in Week 16 of the 2025 NFL season.
While the 2025 Steelers are in the same place the 2024 Steelers were in, the Wild Card Round of the playoffs, there's a much different vibe around this team. Throughout the season, the 2025 roster has been a team that's stayed together through it all, and that belief comes from that. When Rodgers made the decision to sign with the Steelers, this is what he wanted: a chance at a storybook ending. It starts on Monday night in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs against the Houston Texans.
#SteelerNation
