Aaron Rodgers meets with the Pittsburgh Steelers and leaves without signing, AP source says
Sports
Rodgers could be looking to end his career on a more upbeat note
Aaron Rodgers might still want to play football. He might even do it in Pittsburgh.
The four-time NFL MVP met with the Steelers on Friday, a person with knowledge of the visit told The Associated Press. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the meeting was not made public. Rodgers spent several hours in the team’s facility gathering information but left without signing a contract.
Pittsburgh currently has an opening at quarterback. Justin Fields, who along with Russell Wilson led the Steelers to a 10-7 record and a playoff berth last season, signed with the Jets last week.
Wilson is a free agent but does not appear to be part of Pittsburgh’s plans for 2025. The Steelers signed veteran backup Mason Rudolph to a two-year deal earlier this week but still have plenty of room on the roster for another arm or two.
The 41-year-old Rodgers appears to be in no rush to make a decision. He’s spent time in California recently trying to figure out if he wanted to come back for a 21st season.
Rodgers’ methodical approach didn’t sit well with longtime Steelers defensive captain Cam Heyward. The four-time All-Pro expressed frustration on his podcast earlier this week.
“Either you want to be a Pittsburgh Steeler or you don’t, it’s that simple,” Heyward said. “That’s the pitch. If you want me to recruit, that’s the recruiting pitch. Pittsburgh Steelers. If you want to be part of it, so be it. If you don’t, no skin off my back.”
Rodgers could be looking to end his career on a more upbeat note following two turbulent seasons in New York.
A torn left Achilles tendon a handful of snaps into his first game with the Jets in 2023 ended his season. He returned last fall at 40 and threw 28 touchdown passes and 11 interceptions but also courted off-the-field drama regularly as the Jets went 5-12.
Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin has long admired Rodgers, who led the Green Bay Packers to a victory over Tomlin and the Steelers in the Super Bowl following the 2010 season. The two have had a handful of memorable in-game interactions since, including last fall when they tipped their metaphorical caps to each other when Tomlin managed to call timeout before Rodgers could catch Pittsburgh with 12 men on the field during a Steelers blowout of the Jets.
