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Aaron Rodgers is not currently a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers organization. At least, not technically. Technically speaking, Rodgers is still a member of the NFL free agent pool after cutting ties with the New York Jets. But as one prominent NFL reporter points out, the Pittsburgh Steelers are very much operating like an organization that knows Aaron Rodgers will be its starting quarterback in 2025.
Rodgers, of course, made a recent appearance on The Pat McAfee Show and stated that he wasn’t ready to make a decision on his future. Shortly after the fact, Pittsburgh head coach Mike Tomlin made his feelings clear about a timeline for Rodgers potentially joining the fray.
“To be quite honest with you, I don’t know that I meant that specifically for him or the circumstance. I’m just saying, in general, when you report to training camp, it’s a line of demarcation of development of a group, individually and collectively.”
But as Yahoo Sports’ Charles Robinson explains, everything that the Steelers have done since suggests that the team is fully expecting to have a deal done with Rodgers by the time training camp begins.
Rodgers first points to the NFL Draft, where the Steelers passed on a quarterback on the first two days, instead opting to address their defense. He then points to Pittsburgh trading for and extending star wide receiver DK Metcalf despite the lack of a starting quarterback on the roster.
But that’s where things get interesting. Robinson also explains how and why it might benefit Pittsburgh not to have Rodgers signed already. He posits that if you acknowledge that Rodgers’ usual offseason antics are a distraction, you can then minimize that distraction by waiting to sign him.
“So long as Rodgers isn’t signed, there is no room for questions about why he’s signed but not in the building, or a running timeline of when he is going to show up,” Robinson states.
He pointed to Rodgers’ recent appearance at the Kentucky Derby, where he appeared to be wearing a wedding band.
“Whatever it is,” Robinson said, “the Steelers aren’t subject to being part of any of it, because he’s still nothing more than an unsigned player.”
Additionally, Pittsburgh added pieces such as Iowa running back Kaleb Johnson and Ohio State defensive end Jack Sawyer in the draft. Both pieces fit a roster constructed to win now. Only once they got to the sixth round did the Steelers take a swing on Ohio State quarterback Will Howard. Howard isn’t expected to push for a starting spot anytime soon and could easily slot into the background behind Rodgers.
Robinson does leave open the possibility that Rodgers just calls it quits. But as he points out, all the signs are there. Aaron Rodgers to the Pittsburgh Steelers looks way more like a “when” than an “if.”
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