What’s that expression about assumptions, again?
For the better part of the last month, the NFL’s been playing musical chairs with Aaron Rodgers. He’s stayed quiet as speculation about his next/final stop has bounced from team to team, presumably because for some pretentious reason that’s not even really worth speculating about because, really, who cares?
In his absence, we’ve all assigned him to the Pittsburgh Steelers. The widely-held assumption is that, after meeting with the team back in mid-March, some sort of verbal assurance was given about next season.
It makes sense – what other reason would both sides have to be so … aloof? … about the fact that they desperately need each other. (I understand that Rodgers has literally never in his life provided a reason for being aloof, please just play along.)
But, turns out, maybe assuming things is a bad idea? News to me. The latest juicy (“juicy”) NFL report makes it seem like maaaaaaybe Rodgers’ spot on the Steelers roster isn’t as set-in-stone as we all thought.
The Steelers may not be trying that hard to land Aaron Rodgers after all
Source: Alabama QB Jalen Milroe has accepted an invitation to attend the 2025 NFL Draft in Green Bay.
— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) April 6, 2025
If Milroe’s getting an invite to the draft, it’s obviously because The Powers That Be think he’ll be a first-round pick. And I’m not sure I’d fly up to Green Bay (sorry) for Draft Weekend if I wasn’t 10,000% sure that I was going to get my moment walking across that stage on Thursday night. So if Milroe’s actually going to be at the draft in person, it makes one wonder: for who?
Unless someone’s going to pull a Falcons – which, in hindsight, probably isn’t actually the insult I’m trying to make it – and take Milroe way before he’s slotted to go, it seems safe to assume that he’ll go towards the end of the first round. Considering that every team from #10 (Chicago) on already has their franchise QB, that doesn’t leave a ton of options for Milroe. That is, until we get to the early 20s, where [drumroll] Pittsburgh picks!
According to FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz, Milroe has met with “key members” of the Steelers’ staff.
Who’d you rather have? A 41-year-old, one-year rental option who, admittedly, has won four NFL MVPs? Or a young guy who is quickly becoming the sleeper QB of this year’s draft? There’s nothing stopping the Steelers from trying for both, I guess. Pittsburgh signing Rodgers and then drafting his replacement in Green Bay? The irony.
Aaron Rodgers is searching for his next and perhaps final NFL stop, and this latest update all but guarantees his team for the 2025 season.
It has been trending for quite some time that Aaron Rodgers is likely signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers, and this latest update seems to just about guarantee that:
Rodgers is 41 years old and was traded from the Green Bay Packers to the New York Jets before the 2023 NFL Season.
He tore his Achilles just a handful of plays into the season and was able to come back for all 17 games in 2024, tossing 28 touchdowns for the Jets. However, New York was thoroughly awful and decided to move on from Rodgers and former Packers great Davante Adams.
Well, Adams signed with the Los Angeles Rams, but Aaron Rodgers is still without a team. This update from Gerry Dulac from the mouth of Art Rooney II seems to indicate that Rodgers is going to be a Steeler.
Aaron Rodgers seems destined to wear the Black and Gold
I would be shocked if every single Packers fan wasn’t at least somewhat interested in where the former great signed. He won four MVPs with the Packers and also helped defeat the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLV.
Well, to make matters even more interesting, the Pittsburgh Steelers are hosting the Green Bay Packers in the 2025 NFL Season, so there is a legitimate shot that Rodgers would get to play his old team on the Steelers. Pittsburgh made a huge move this offseason when they traded for DK Metcalf, formerly of the Seattle Seahawks, and we know that Rodgers and Metcalf actually had a throwing session together last weekend.
It does feel like an ‘open house’ situation for Rodgers – he seems to be seeing how structually sound the house is and is about to put a healthy bid on it, but in Rodgers’ case, this may also be his only starting shot left in the NFL. He’ll turn 42 years old near the end of the 2025 NFL Season, so some have also wondered if the 2025 year would be his last in the NFL as well.
I am sure Aaron Rodgers wants to go out with at least one more playoff appearance, but he is a declining player, and the Pittsburgh Steelers can’t accomplish anything substantive on offense when they keep trotting out new faces at quarterback.