New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers hugs Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield. Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Buccaneers set to face Aaron Rodgers at joint practice

Originally posted on Tampa Bay Buccaneers on SI
By River Wells | Last updated Jun 5, 2025 4:34 PM ET

It's been assumed for a while, but a big piece of NFL news was finally made official on Thursday.

Free agent quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who was with the Jets for two seasons and started for them for one before being released this offseason, is officially set to sign with the Pittsburgh Steelers on a one-year deal. Although Rodgers is understood to have intended to do so all offseason, the news is official now, and more interesting is the timing — per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Gerry Dulac, Rodgers plans on attending mandatory minicamp and then training camp.

BREAKING: Aaron Rodgers has informed the Steelers he plans to sign a contract and attend mini camp next week, per sources.
— Gerry Dulac (@gerrydulac) June 5, 2025

That means that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are set to face off against Rodgers at the two teams' joint practice when the Bucs head to Pittsburgh in August. Rodgers is unlikely to play in the preseason game between the two teams, given his age, but he will certainly take part in 11-on-11 work when the Bucs go up north.

This will be the second time in three years that the Buccaneers will have faced off against Rodgers in a joint training camp practice. The first one was in 2023, when Rodgers was with the Jets, and the Bucs traveled to New Jersey for that joint practice as well. Joint practice was supposed to go for two days, but fights and heated atmosphere limited the practice to one day — the Bucs are set to only practice with the Steelers for one day on Aug. 16.

Including the playoffs, Rodgers is 3-4 against the Buccaneers across his career. While the two teams won't be facing off in a regular-season game this year, the competition at camp is sure to be heated once again.