Former NFL player theorizes why Aaron Rodgers hasn't yet signed with Steelers

As of May 1, multiple reporters continue to say that the Pittsburgh Steelers will soon confirm that free agent Aaron Rodgers will be their starting quarterback for the 2025 season. 

That said, former offensive lineman and current NFL analyst Ross Tucker suggested during Thursday's edition of NFL Network's "Good Morning Football" program that Rodgers may be having second thoughts about continuing his playing career at 41 years old. 

"He doesn't wanna play," Tucker directly said about Rodgers, as shared by Alex Kozora of Steelers Depot. "He doesn't really want to play. I think he wants to stay relevant. So I think he will play for the Steelers, but this doesn't make any sense either short-term or long-term for Pittsburgh in my mind."

During an April 17 appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show," Rodgers revealed that he had spent much of the offseason dealing with a personal issue. Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated wrote in his latest mailbag that he felt "some of the narratives (about uncertainty related to Rodgers' future) out there wouldn’t have been spun the same way if that information was public earlier."

However, former NFL general manager and current ESPN personality Mike Tannenbaum, along with ESPN's Evan Cohen, are among those who have publicly expressed doubts that the future Hall of Famer wants to play for the Steelers later this year. Specifically, Tannenbaum referenced an old Bill Parcells quote in April when he said: "When a player's talking about being retired, they are retired."

Tucker somewhat echoed that take on Thursday. 

"If a guy's waiting this long to decide whether or not they want to play," Tucker explained, "they don't really wanna play." 

Steelers players reportedly "really like" longtime backup Mason Rudolph to the point that they'd back him as the club's 2025 Week 1 starter if Rodgers chose to retire or simply stay unsigned. In the eyes of Tucker and other notable NFL community members, Rodgers is saying plenty about whether he wants to join the Steelers by saying nothing since his last appearance on the "McAfee Show."