The Pittsburgh Steelers are in a quarterback pickle as they head into the 2025 NFL season, and Aaron Rodgers is the name dominating the conversation. After passing on top-tier quarterback prospects in the 2025 draft—settling instead for Ohio State’s Will Howard in the sixth round—the Steelers are staring at a QB room led by Howard and Mason Rudolph unless they pull off a blockbuster move. With the free-agent market thinner than a Pittsburgh winter, Rodgers, the four-time MVP and Green Bay Packers legend, has emerged as their top target. His recent comments on The Joe Rogan Experience (May 21, 2025) keep the door cracked open for a potential Steelers signing, but he’s making it clear he’s got bigger priorities than football right now, leaving Pittsburgh in a frustrating waiting game.
Rodgers didn’t mince words on Rogan’s podcast, laying out why he hasn’t inked a deal with the Steelers or anyone else. “I’ve figured it out the last year when I’ve been in the weeds with these people who are close to me that have cancer,” he said, per Sporting News. “I’m in a serious relationship. I have off-the-field stuff going on that requires my attention. I have personal commitments I have made.” He mentioned supporting close friends battling serious health issues, emphasizing that his inner circle’s struggles are taking precedence. But he also added, “The conversations have been had… I’m keeping the conversation open as well,” signaling he’s not ruling out Pittsburgh—or the NFL—for 2025.
For the Steelers, this is less than ideal. Needing to parse Rodgers’ intentions through a three-hour podcast isn’t exactly a GM’s dream scenario, but it’s where Omar Khan finds himself. The team’s quarterback situation is shaky at best. Rudolph, who went 8-4 as a starter in 2023, is a reliable stopgap but not a long-term answer, with a 62.6% completion rate and 3,210 yards in 25 career starts. Howard, a rookie with 2,658 college passing yards and a 67.2% completion rate at Ohio State, is a project, not a plug-and-play starter.
Why Rodgers? On paper, he’s a no-brainer for a Steelers team that’s been a quarterback away from contending. In 2024 with the Jets, he threw for 3,517 yards, 24 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions, showing he’s still got elite arm talent at 41, even if his mobility’s not what it was (4.8 yards per carry, down from his 6.2 peak). Pittsburgh’s offense, with Najee Harris (1,154 rushing yards in 2024) and a retooled receiving corps post-George Pickens trade, could thrive with Rodgers’ precision and playmaking. Their defense, led by T.J. Watt’s 11.5 sacks last year, is already playoff-caliber, ranking seventh in points allowed (20.3 per game).
The Steelers’ alternatives aren’t inspiring. A trade for a proven starter would cost draft capital they don’t have after dealing for cornerback Donte Jackson. Free agents like Ryan Tannehill or Andy Dalton are uninspiring, with combined 2024 stats of 1,842 yards and 10 touchdowns. Drafting a quarterback in 2026 is an option, but that doesn’t solve the immediate need. Rodgers, for all his baggage, offers a one- or two-year bridge to stabilize the position while Howard develops. X posts claiming Rodgers joined Pittsburgh-area country clubs, fuel speculation he’s leaning toward the Steelers, though these are unconfirmed rumors.
The holdup is Rodgers’ personal life, which he’s prioritizing over football. Reports from Steelers Depot and PennLive suggest he’s dealing with “personal commitments” that could include health concerns for loved ones, a new relationship, or even non-football ventures—he’s been linked to everything from ayahuasca retreats to UFO discussions on Rogan’s show. This indecision has Pittsburgh in limbo, with Khan forced to rely on Rudolph’s 7.3 yards per attempt as a fallback while hoping Rodgers commits. If he does, the Steelers could be instant AFC North contenders; if not, they’re rolling with a rookie and a journeyman into a brutal division.
Picture Rodgers in black and gold, dissecting defenses with Pat Freiermuth while Watt wreaks havoc on the other side. It’s a tantalizing vision, but Steelers fans are stuck waiting for a 41-year-old to sort out his life. For now, Khan’s keeping the faith, but as Pittsburgh’s offense “doesn’t scare you” without a star under center. Rodgers could change that—if he decides to show up.
