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The Pittsburgh Steelers should pass on signing Aaron Rodgers

Originally posted on Steel City Underground | Last updated May 26, 2025 10:10 AM ET

As the Pittsburgh Steelers navigate a crucial 2025 NFL offseason, the possibility of acquiring free agent quarterback Aaron Rodgers has sparked debate. While Rodgers is arguably a future Hall of Famer, several key reasons suggest the Steelers’ should pass on signing the veteran quarterback at this point and focus on the future.

Rodgers: age and performance decline

It’s not unheard of that an NFL player can still play ball after the age of 35, but Father Time isn’t nearly as kind to those who stretch their careers past 40. Rodgers turned 41 last December.

Yes, Tom Brady was able to extend his playing time to the age of 45, but even he struggled his final season; the only losing season of his career (8-9) was with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before he hung his cleats up for good.

Rodgers doesn’t have the career statistics of Brady, and his 2024 performance with the New York Jets was not nearly spectacular enough for the Jets to hold onto him another year.

2024 stats (Jets): 3897 yards passing for 28 touchdowns, 11 interceptions; 43.9% success throwing for a first down, 6.7 yards per throw average, 229.2 passing yards per game average, 40 sacks, and a QBR of 48.0.
Surpassed 560 career sacks – most in NFL history (Pro Football Reference).

At this stage, Rodgers may struggle to keep up physically with the pace of today’s game. He would be playing behind a young offensive line in Pittsburgh, and that could add to Rodgers’ apparent frustration with the number of hurries and sacks he has taken in recent years, especially since he fully expects to be the starting QB.

Steelers patience, locker room impact

Although major media outlets continue to spin-up speculation that it is just a matter of time before Rodgers joins the Steelers, it is clear from inside the organization that patience has worn thin. Steelers President Art Rooney II has continued to express interest, but as late as May 22 said, “A litte while longer,” when asked about the quarterback he’d formerly said he wouldn’t wait forever for per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

In March, Steelers veteran Cameron Heyward expressed his frustration over the ongoing waiting game.

Heyward later clarified on Good Morning Football that his statements were misconstrued, saying, “The pitch is, if you want to be a Steeler, be a Steeler.’ That’s all it was. It wasn’t that I don’t like Aaron Rodgers, or I’m against him.”

But, most recently, teammate Alex Highsmith has chimed in. When asked how often he is questioned about Rodgers, Highsmith told Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo on NFL’s The Insiders,

“I get asked a lot by my peers and some friends who are fans and stuff like that. I just feel like in the locker room, we’re in there working and I think that’s just really what it’s about at this point… I wouldn’t say it’s a distraction at all, but we all know what type of quarterback he is and what he brings to the table.”

Yet Highsmith pointed out in the same interview that there is high confidence in Mason Rudolph, who is with the team again after spending last season with the Tennessee Titans.

“I know Mason [Rudolph] being there, he’s done a great job. The guys are rallying around him and, like I said, he’s been with us before and guys know him, Pittsburgh fans know him. The way that he helped us finish in 2023 was awesome.”

The team is likely a little tight-lipped because the decision to add Rodgers will be a decision that’s made from the top, but it can’t not be having an effect at some level to be questioned about a guy who has yet to even acknowledge whether or not he’s even interested in playing football in 2025.

Rodgers’ commitment level and history

Rodgers has a bit of a negative reputation he has created by overlooking timelines – especially when he has prioritized his interests over teams he has worked with. In 2021, Rodgers waited until the evening before Green Bay Packers training camp to even agree to return. Then, after making quite a show of his desire to reinvigorate the Jets, he had a very public moment with Robert Selah (before the latter’s firing) and was non-committal about a future in New York.

His timeline – at this point – resembles the ether when it comes to giving the Steelers a confirmation; there’s just nothing there but a shimmer in the air.

The Steelers should just pass

Pittsburgh is in a unique position to utilize a quarterback that can work in their system – Rudolph – and develop the raw talent of rookie Will Howard. They can do it with litte risk and a whole lot less drama by settling in and not giving in to whatever Rodgers has going on.

The Steelers aren’t going to be Super Bowl Champions just because Rodgers decides he wants to sign, either. His record with the Jets indicates that. They aren’t going to automatically be horrible with Rudolph and Howard, either. A lot of the assumptions out there are just that. Settling in for a challenging season while passing on Rodgers is the right move.

This article first appeared on Steel City Underground and was syndicated with permission.

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