Will Aaron Rodgers Makes His Steelers Announcement at Pat McAfee’s Big Night AHT?
Speculation has been brewing over the last few weeks that Aaron Rodgers will announce that he’s signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers at Pat McAfee’s sold out Big Night AHT event at PPG Paints Arena on Wednesday, April 9.
Rodgers appears on McAfee’s show every Tuesday during the season, so the theory is understandable. Rodgers has been pondering his decision over the last month, too. And the Steelers are really the only option. All signs point to Rodgers landing in the Steel City.
However, Mark Kaboly, “The Pat McAfee Show’s” Steelers correspondent, doesn’t expect the signing to be at McAfee’s event.
Nevertheless, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network expects Rodgers to make an announcement before the NFL Draft.
“I would be very surprised if Rodgers waited until after the draft,” Rapoport said. “I would be very surprised if it wasn’t the Steelers if he plays. What I have not 100% been able to nail down is, is he absolutely, definitely playing?”
If Rodgers doesn’t make his decision by the draft, decides to play elsewhere or retires, Daniel Jeremiah of NFL Network thinks quarterback is very much in play for the Steelers at pick No. 21.
“I think if Jaxson Dart’s there, I think there’s a conversation,” Jeremiah said on “Up & Adams.” “If Shedeur’s (Sanders) there, there’s a conversation.”
Steelers president Art Rooney II said the team is getting good signs about where it stands with Rodgers, though no decision has been made yet.
Speaking at the close of the 2025 NFL owners meetings last week, Rooney admitted that has been surprised that things have taken as long as they have with the free agent quarterback, but the team continues to be confident he’ll eventually sign with the Steelers.
Rooney said he saw Rodgers choosing to work out with Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf as one of a number of positive signs the team has gotten that Rodgers will eventually sign in Pittsburgh.
“I would say it’s a good sign he wanted to do that,” Rooney said. “We keep hearing that he’s, I guess, headed in our direction. That seems to be all signs are positive so far. … We keep getting positive sort-of signals about it. I’d say we feel pretty good about it.”
That was the general theme at the NFL owners meeting. Rooney, Mike Tomlin and Omar Khan all sounded confident that Rodgers will sign with the Steelers.
“When you talk to people from Pittsburgh, they really give you the sense that this is all gonna work out,” Dianna Russini of The Athletic said on The Herd with Colin Cowherd. “We’re fine, you heard Mike Tomlin, I’m not panicked. He’s having the direct communication with Rodgers and I believe Rodgers is telling him, ‘We’ll get there.’”
Rooney did not give a timeframe for a decision from Rodgers, and said the team is comfortable waiting at this point.
“Not forever, but a little while longer,” he said. “… Hopefully, we’ll know something soon.”