Behind the Steel Curtain
Aaron Rodgers’ 21st year in the NFL will likely be his last.
Joining the Pittsburgh Steelers following a disappointing 5-12 year with the New York Jets, Rodgers took his time in deciding who he would play for in 2025. Retirement was on the table. Waiting it out into training camp seemed like an option.
Instead, Rodgers chose the Steelers, signing in Pittsburgh prior to mandatory minicamp in June.
Rodgers told The Pat McAfee Show that this is likely his final season and wants to finish his Hall of Fame career with the Steelers. He also said he’d play for $10 million. Rodgers put his money where his mouth was and didn’t accept a deal over $20 million.
Former Steelers corner and current CBS Sports analyst Bryant McFadden told 93.7 The Fan on Friday that Rodgers could have earned more money from the Steelers, but opted to take less.
“It wasn’t about money because they are giving him around $13 million or something like that. And I got word that he actually could have gotten more, but that’s what he wanted,” McFadden said.
Rodgers earned $38.1 million with the Jets in 2024. His deal with the Steelers is one year for $16.65 million. It can top out at $19.5 million through incentives.
“They were willing to offer more,” McFadden said. “They were willing to pay him more than what he’s actually receiving, but Aaron was like, ‘No man, this is what I would take and I just wanna play ball.’ That tells me this is a guy that’s all in… He is genuinely happy to be a part of the Pittsburgh Steelers.”
McFadden said that’s what the Steelers were like when he played and won Super Bowl XL and XLIII in black and gold.
Rodgers didn’t play in Jacksonville and won’t play Saturday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the second preseason game of the season. It’s likely we won’t see Rodgers until week one, back at MetLife Stadium against the Jets on September 7.
