Steelers Expected to Talk with Aaron Rodgers Near Start of Free Agency
The Pittsburgh Steelers are expected to talk with pending free agent quarterback Aaron Rodgers on Monday, according to a report by Adam Schefter of ESPN.
Rodgers has not yet officially been released by the New York Jets, a step that will have to take place before the Steelers can talk with him — or the Jets can simply give him permission to speak with other teams.
The Jets are expected to release Rodgers and designate him as a post-June 1 release, which will create a $14 million dead cap hit this season and save the Jets $9.5 million. Once a player is released with a post-June 1 designation, they effectively become a free agent immediately and do not need to wait to sign with another team.
Rodgers is the latest quarterback to be firmly connected to the Steelers. Dianna Russini of The Athletic reported on Sunday that they are expected to offer a contract to Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold when they contact period opens at noon on Monday.
The Steelers have also been in talks with their two internal quarterback options, Justin Fields and Russell Wilson. Fields appears to set to test the market, with interest from the New York Jets being a driving factor in that decision. Wilson might be a Plan B or Plan C for the Steelers and is also being considered by the New York Giants.
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin has extensively shared his appreciation for Rodgers in the past, and vice versa, though the 41-year-old would be a significant departure from the kind of player the Steelers have recently been targeting, with a recent emphasis on quarterback mobility driving most of their decisions.
Rodgers is not that — and is the most-sacked quarterback in NFL history — but has still been effective despite his age. In 2024 with the Jets, he completed 63% of his passes, threw for 3,897 yards and 28 touchdowns compared to 11 interceptions. He has the lowest career interception rate of any NFL quarterback — something the defensive-minded Tomlin will surely love.