Steelers Now
NFL insider Adam Schefter revealed on ESPN that four-time NFL MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers was not the Pittsburgh Steelers first option this offseason. He was actually third, behind Justin Fields and Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford.
“This was the best move that the Pittsburgh Steelers could make right now,” Schefter said. “But, lets also remember, this was the third option for the Pittsburgh Steelers. They were in on Matthew Stafford and couldn’t get done a trade. They tried to re-sign Justin Fields, he opted to go to the New York Jets where he will meet Aaron Rodgers on opening day. After they couldn’t get a trade done for Stafford and couldn’t get Fields re-signed, they pivoted to Aaron Rodgers. So Aaron Rodgers, right now, was their third choice.”
ESPN #NFL Insider @AdamSchefter revealed that Aaron Rodgers was the #Steelers ‘third choice’ at QB this offseason. 😳
They preferred re-signing Justin Fields who signed with the #Jets & they explored a trade with the #Rams for Matthew Stafford.
After those pursuits failed, they… pic.twitter.com/21y87lSehO
— Paul Andrew Esden Jr (@BoyGreen25) June 6, 2025
Fields reflected on his one season with the Steelers during his Jets introductory press conference. It was a tumultuous season for Fields, as he started off 4-2 as the team’s starter before being benched for the rest of the year in place of veteran Russell Wilson.
Fields handled the benching like a true professional, but it wasn’t easy for him.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that the Steelers offered Fields a contract similar to the Jets’ offer, but he chose the Jets over the Steelers.
“Look, last week or a week and a half ago, they put together an offer for Justin Fields that I was told was very competitive with what the Jets offered him, which was two years 40 million with 30 million guaranteed,” Fowler said on the Dan Patrick Show in March. “Something went off where he chose the Jets and he must have felt the love more from the Jets than he did the Steelers who essentially benched him last year for Russell Wilson. So he gets a fresh start. I do believe they were all in on Fields. I don’t know if they had Fields ahead of (Aaron) Rodgers, but they were willing to do Fields. Like both sides at one point were open to it. It didn’t work.”
The Steelers really never had a shot at Stafford. He was ultimately going to re-sign with the Rams. He had no plans of leaving L.A.
“It wasn’t something that happened on that Friday during that meeting. It’s not one thing that sits there and goes, ‘Hey, this is the reason,” Stafford said. “There’s one thing that makes me want to come back. There are so many positive things about our organization and about our team. I never really wanted to leave. I’m just happy to be back and happy that the Rams want me back. We can...
