Could Steelers Ditch Russell Wilson, Turn to Aaron Rodgers in 2025?
Could the Pittsburgh Steelers decide to ditch quarterback Russell Wilson after the 2024 season and replace him with Aaron Rodgers?
That idea was put forth by Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk on Thursday, when Florio suggested that the Steelers could blow up their entire quarterback room for the second straight offseason after not getting what they were looking for out of Wilson, Justin Fields and Kyle Allen.
“When we try to come up with the list of teams that we know will be looking for quarterbacks in the offseason, it’s a short list, but I think we’ve gotta start moving the Steelers into that category as a strong possibility,” Florio said.“The thought that I had the other day, I’m gonna say it. We’ve seen them make googly eyes at each other during games before, and he’s been playing well the last couple of weeks … Aaron Rodgers, Mike Tomlin, one last ride together.”
This season, the 41-year-old Rodgers has played in 15 games, completing 333 of 530 passes (62.8%) for 3,511 yards (5.99 adjusted net yards per attempt), eight interceptions, 24 touchdowns and a 90.8 passer rating.
For comparison, the 36-year-old Wilson has played 10 games, completing 197 of 305 passes (64.6%) for 2,334 (6.64 adjusted net yards per attempt), five interceptions, 15 touchdowns and a 97.4 passer rating.
Rodgers is under contract with the Jets through the end of the 2025 season, but he is set to earn $37.5 million next season — $35 of which is a non-guaranteed option bonus. Rodgers has not committed to returning to the NFL for his 21st season in 2025, but has said that if he does, he preference would be for it to be with the Jets.
It’s unclear if the Jets would welcome Rodgers back. They have already fired general manager Joe Douglas and head coach Robert Saleh this season.
Rodgers and Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin have been complimentary of one another in the past, but that was before Rodgers’ messy exit from Green Bay and several subsequent other controversies, including deception about being vaccinated for COVID-19 and skipping mandatory minicamp with the Jets this spring.
“I’m a big Mike Tomlin fan,” Rodgers said in 2021. “I have been for a long time. I like the way he speaks about his team. I like the way that he goes about his business. I like his confidence. I’ve heard nothing but good things from guys that have played there.”
The Steelers were among the teams that were touted as a potential landing spot for Rodgers when he left the Green Bay Packers, but the team drafting quarterback Kenny Pickett in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft seemed to quiet those calls. Now, with the team moved on from Pickett, it might be possible for Tomlin and Rodgers to finally unite, if the team is unhappy with the production of current quarterback Russell Wilson, or is unhappy with his contract demands — as Wilson is set to become a free agent after the season.
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