The Pittsburgh Steelers organization conveyed the idea early this offseason that it preferred to re-sign either Russell Wilson or Justin Fields for 2025. Steelers owner Art Rooney explicated stated his preference was either Fields or Wilson on January 27.
With Fields off to the New York Jets, Wilson now seems to be obvious choice at quarterback for Pittsburgh.
But the Steelers appear to have their eyes set on four-time MVP signal-caller Aaron Rodgers. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on March 10 that Rodgers signing with the Steelers was “in play.”
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac implied on March 11 that Rodgers is their preferred choice. Dulac added, though, that Wilson could still return although as a fall back option.
“It’s possible Russell Wilson could return to the Steelers if ongoing discussions with Aaron Rodgers fail to result in a financial agreement, per multiple sources,” wrote Dulac on X (formerly Twitter).
How Much Could Aaron Rodgers Demand From Steelers?
Fields left Pittsburgh to agree to a two-year, $40 million contract with the Jets on March 10. Fields’ deal will include $30 million guaranteed.
The Steelers made an offer to Fields, but CBS Sports’ Aditi Kinkhabwala reported it didn’t include guaranteed money past the first season.
Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer wrote on March 9 the Steelers “have interest” in Sam Darnold. But Darnold agreed to terms with the Seattle Seahawks just prior to Fields leaving for the Jets.
With those two signal-callers off the market, the Steelers have turned their attention to Rodgers and Wilson.
Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio reported late on March 10 that Rodgers and the Steelers could have an agreement in place on March 11. But that hasn’t happened yet, perhaps because of a disagreement on the financial terms of the potential deal.
With an educated guess, Florio predicted Rodgers is looking for a $90 million deal. He also added that Rodgers wants to play another two seasons.
A $45 million average annual salary wouldn’t rank Rodgers in the top 10 among NFL quarterbacks. But it’s unclear if the Steelers feel comfortable making that offer to a 41-year-old.
That’s likely why it’s key for Pittsburgh to have Wilson as another option.
Did Russell Wilson Hurt His Chances of Returning to Steelers?
Wilson doesn’t necessarily have to wait for the Steelers to make a decision. Wilson potentially has other suitors, including the Tennessee Titans according to SNY’s Connor Hughes.
If the Steelers are his first choice, though, Wilson might only have himself to blame if he doesn’t return to Pittsburgh.
Steelers Depot’s Alex Kozora argued on X that Wilson may have damaged his relationship with the team over the offseason.
“My guess is the team soured on Wilson because of relationship issues with Arthur Smith,” Kozora wrote. “That report about Wilson being handcuffed by him probably didn’t go over well.”
Dulac reported on Feb. 4 that offensive coordinator Arthur Smith “did not want Wilson changing plays at the line of scrimmage.” Dulac indicated that Wilson did that in the first matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals when he threw for 414 yards.
In the rematch versus the Bengals about a month later, the Steelers ran the ball more often, particularly on first down. Wilson was 17 of 31 with 148 passing yards.
On Feb. 5, Kinkhabwala strongly refuted Dulac’s report, calling it “completely inaccurate” and “clearly coming from one side.”
Whether or not it was true might not have matter to the Steelers. The fact the media reported the story from Wilson’s camp (if that’s where it came from) may have been enough to upset the organization.
Wilson led the Steelers to a 6-6 record including the playoffs. He started 6-1 but lost his last five games.
In 11 regular season games, Wilson completed 63.7% of his passes for an average of 7.4 yards per attempt. He also had 16 touchdowns and five interceptions.
