As the Pittsburgh Steelers consider a host of options under center in free agency, it has become abundantly clear that they aren’t eager to run back 2024 with veteran quarterback Russell Wilson.
Instead, the Steelers seem more interested in former New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who’s hoping to write a happier final chapter than the two disastrous seasons he endured in East Rutherford.
Pittsburgh hosted Rodgers on a free agent visit on Friday, opting to keep the braintrust at home instead of at Michigan’s Pro Day. No deal was reached, but that doesn’t rule out one coming in a matter of days as Rodgers officially makes his decision.
It’s worth noting that if the Steelers wanted Wilson, they’d likely already have him. But Wilson isn’t the apple of any team’s eye in free agency. He’s not the quarterback holding up the market. In a “what have you done for me lately” league, Wilson is merely a quarterback on a five-game losing streak.
That didn’t stop him from taking to social media to send a two-word message in the wake of the news.
"Relentless Confidence. Don’t ever stop believing in you!" Wilson wrote in a post on X.
Wilson took over for Justin Fields – who recently signed a two-year deal with the Jets – after a 4-2 start, a controversial decision that quickly made head coach Mike Tomlin look like a genius. He won six of his first seven starts, keeping Pittsburgh competitive with the top teams in the AFC as they jostled for playoff positioning.
However, the moon balls stopped landing quite as often in the second half of the year, and with an inconsistent defense and non-existent ground game, Wilson’s act didn’t last.
He finished the year with 2,482 yards, 16 touchdowns, and five interceptions, culminating in a playoff rout at the hands of the Baltimore Ravens.
Rodgers can’t promise to be much better. He struggled through much of the year – despite a strong touchdown-interception ratio – hurts the run game with his immobility, and isn’t going to give anyone much out of structure.
At the very least, though, there’s upside in the unknown, and that’s been tantalizing enough for the Steelers to hone in on as his free agency lingers.
If Pittsburgh does come off the board for Wilson, it seems the New York Giants, Cleveland Browns, and Tennessee Titans would be his most likely suitors; none of which offer the proximity to the playoffs that Pittsburgh should in 2025.
