Steelers Now
NFL insider Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reveals the four quarterbacks the Pittsburgh Steelers considered acquiring this offseason.
The Pittsburgh Steelers finally landed their starting quarterback for the 2025 season, signing Aaron Rodgers to a one-year deal on Saturday. But NFL insider Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reveals Rodgers was one of four quarterbacks the Steelers seriously considered acquiring this offseason.
“Pittsburgh was moving on from Russell Wilson. The Steelers did want to keep working with Justin Fields, but knew if another team was willing to make him the guy, they’d have a hard time keeping him,” Breer writes. “So they discussed Rodgers, Matthew Stafford, Kirk Cousins and Daniel Jones as options.”
Stafford was the best option available and Pittsburgh expressed interest in two-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl LVI champion. However, he eventually restructured his contract with the Rams, keeping him in Los Angeles for at least the 2025 season.
The Steelers then had to shift their focus and many around the league believed Cousins remained a possibility for Pittsburgh. But Breer thinks the team either disagreed or did not want to take the risk on the 36-year-old coming off a torn Achilles.
“The Steelers touched base with the Rams on Stafford, but never believed Stafford would sign off on leaving Los Angeles,” Breer writes. “They did the same with the Falcons on Cousins.”
That left Jones, who signed with the Indianapolis Colts, and Rodgers. And after analyzing Rodgers’ 2024 tape, the Steelers believe they could be getting a steal.
“Their study of Rodgers showed a little more than even they expected,” Breer writes. “Early in the 2024 season, the Achilles, and a hamstring injury to follow, clearly hampered him. But as time wore on, even with the Jets struggling, the Steelers saw Rodgers returning to form.”
Rodgers looked far from his four-time NFL MVP self in 2024 while leading the New York Jets to a disappointing 5-12 finish. However, he still proved to have some good football left in him, completing 368 of 584 passes (63%) for 3,897 yards, 28 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
Only time will tell whether Rodgers can continue building off the second half of 2024 now two years removed from his Achilles injury. Pittsburgh is hoping that’s the case, though, after its promising evaluation of the 41-year-old.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Insider Reveals Four QBs Steelers Discussed Acquiring This Offseason
