As speculation swirls around Aaron Rodgers’ football future, one voice with unique insight has stepped forward: his biographer, Ian O’Connor.
Appearing on The PM Team on 93.7 The Fan, O’Connor – author of “Out of the Darkness: The Mystery of Aaron Rodgers” – shared his belief that the four-time MVP is poised to pass up on retirement and finally join the Pittsburgh Steelers.
“I just think verbally, behind the scenes, not that he guaranteed it, but he’s told [the Steelers], ‘Listen, I’m gonna play for you,” O’Connor revealed.
“I just don’t want to go there and then miss part of mandatory minicamp because of my personal issues. I’m pretty sure they’re gonna be solved by the end of May, at least in my satisfaction where I can give you my all.’ So that’s where I think he is.”
The future Hall of Famer is reportedly weighing only two options: retirement or signing with the Steelers.
His lone full season with the New York Jets ended in supreme disappointment, both statistically and emotionally.
Despite throwing for 3,897 yards, 28 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions, Rodgers led the Jets to a 5-12 record and a third-place finish in the AFC East.
Rodgers’ reported openness to joining Pittsburgh has fueled optimism within the Steelers organization and among fans hungry for postseason success. (Not that Rodgers is a 100% “YES” with the fanbase.)
While O’Connor noted the quarterback is still resolving personal matters, he emphasized that nothing he’s heard would prevent Rodgers from suiting up this fall.
“The sense I got was, I think I have a pretty good sense of what it is, and I don’t think it’s something that would prevent him from playing football,” O’Connor added.
O’Connor went on to call the Steelers a “perfect” landing spot for Rodgers, describing a scenario where both player and team could benefit from a late-career reset.
“He knows it was an embarrassment in New York largely, and he’s the face of that embarrassment,” O’Connor said.
“Whether that’s fair or not, that’s the case. It may be me as an optimist, but I think this is gonna work out. Do I think the Steelers will win the Super Bowl next year? No. But if you told me 11-6 with at least one playoff victory. I think that’s realistic.”
The Steelers are coming off a 10-7 season that saw them reach the playoffs but fall to the Baltimore Ravens in the opening round.
Despite efforts to address the quarterback position – bringing in veterans Russell Wilson and Justin Fields – the team remains in search of a long-term, high-impact solution under center.
Rodgers, should he join Pittsburgh, would offer the Steelers their most decorated quarterback since Ben Roethlisberger.
Beyond talent, he brings playoff experience and the potential to elevate a team already on the cusp of serious contention in the AFC.
While Rodgers has yet to make an official announcement, several signals – both from his camp and the Steelers’ actions – suggest that a decision may be imminent.
For now, fans in Pittsburgh can only wait. But if O’Connor is right, the next chapter in Rodgers’ enigmatic career may be written in black and gold.
What are your thoughts that we may finally be inching towards a resolution in the Rodgers saga? … Do you think he’s definitely joining the Steelers???
