The Pittsburgh Steelers' quarterback situation has not gone the way most fans probably would have expected going into the 2025 offseason. It seemed like a sure thing that either Justin Fields or Russell Wilson would be back as the starting quarterback in 2025, but it became clear shortly after the legal tampering period began that would not be the case. Fields signed with the New York Jets, and Wilson recently inked a deal with the New York Giants. Pittsburgh is one of the last teams without a starter for the 2025 season, although Aaron Rodgers is primed to take over the role.
The Steelers' organization has caught a lot of flack for how it has handled the quarterback situation. It is currently waiting on Rodgers to make a decision on his future, where the only viable options seem to be signing in Pittsburgh or retiring. Many have made the point that he is holding Pittsburgh hostage, but that is simply not the case. It does not hurt the Steelers to wait, the franchise already brought back Mason Rudolph who Head Coach Mike Tomlin trusts to start if needed.
Senior NFL reporter for ESPN, Jeremy Fowler, made an appearance on SportsCenter Saturday morning where he discussed Rodgers and the Steelers. He shared the sentiment that the Steelers have no rush, while also stating a commitment may already be in place.
"They're willing to be pretty patient," Fowler said of the Steelers. "My sense is the Steelers remain optimistic here and they are willing to wait. In fact, I've talked to several people in the quarterback market, including in and around Russell Wilson's free agency who just figure that the Steelers must have gotten some sort of loose assurance from Rodgers that at some point that he was going to play there. Timeline here is very loose."
The Giants were initially the other team that had interest in Rodgers, although it always seemed like Pittsburgh had a better chance of landing the veteran. The 2025 season will probably be Rodgers' last, and he wants to end it somewhere he can be competitive. That was not the case in New York.
The Giants probably could have been considered a backup plan for Rodgers, while Wilson was a deep, deep backup plan for Pittsburgh at quarterback. New York taking its name out of the running for the four-time MVP by signing Wilson shows that the belief around the league is that Rodgers will be wearing the black and gold in 2025.
Pittsburgh's biggest threat when it comes to signing Rodgers doesn't seem to be another team in the NFL, it might just be retirement. Rodgers has reportedly had interest in playing for the Minnesota Vikings, but the interest has not been mutual up to this point. Another option for the Super Bowl Champion would be waiting around for a quarterback to get hurt somewhere and then signing, but that seems a bit too low for a player of Rodgers' caliber.
Steelers' Approach In The 2025 NFL Draft Should Tell Fans Everything They Need To Know
If for some reason Rodgers has still not signed in Pittsburgh by the time the 2025 NFL Draft rolls around, fans should be able to gauge the organization's confidence level in the quarterback room by how it makes its selections. If a quarterback is selected on one of the first two days of the event, it probably means Pittsburgh is no longer interested in waiting for Rodgers.
The franchise has done its homework on most of the draft-eligible quarterbacks. This could be for the 2025 season, or it could be for past that. If Rodgers signs, he will probably only be in town for a season or two before hanging it up, and it is crucial the Steelers have a backup plan.
