After months of speculation and anticipation, future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers is officially headed to the Steel City. The Pittsburgh Steelers announced Thursday that they have agreed to terms with Rodgers on a one-year deal, pending a physical. The move puts an end to one of the NFL offseason’s longest-running storylines and provides the Steelers with a much-needed answer under center.
The agreement comes more than 80 days after the start of free agency and nearly 70 days since Rodgers visited Pittsburgh’s practice facility on March 21. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Rodgers plans to fly to Pittsburgh on Friday and will join the team in time for next week’s mandatory minicamp.
The Steelers have been linked to Rodgers since early in the offseason, especially after the departures of both Russell Wilson and Justin Fields, who left via free agency. Despite uncertainty surrounding Rodgers’ future and interest from other teams, Pittsburgh remained steadfast in their pursuit.
Sources told Schefter that Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin played a pivotal role in the process, maintaining open lines of communication and showing a willingness to work within Rodgers’ offseason timeline. That patience appears to have paid off.
Rodgers, 41, was released by the New York Jets in March following what he later described as a “contentious” meeting with new head coach Aaron Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey. He spent just two seasons with the Jets after an 18-year Hall of Fame-caliber run with the Green Bay Packers, where he won a Super Bowl after the 2010 season.
After missing nearly all of the 2023 season due to a torn Achilles suffered just four snaps into his Jets debut, Rodgers returned to start every game in 2024. While he showed flashes of brilliance, his performance was inconsistent. He finished with 3,897 passing yards and 28 touchdowns — both third-best in Jets single-season history — but also threw 11 interceptions and had a 48.1 QBR, ranking 25th out of 32 qualified passers.
The Jets stumbled to a 5-12 finish in 2024, ranking 24th in scoring and becoming one of the league’s most disappointing teams.
Rodgers now joins a Pittsburgh team that had been scrambling for quarterback clarity. The Steelers re-signed Mason Rudolph after his one-year stint in Tennessee but otherwise passed on drafting a quarterback until the sixth round, when they selected Ohio State’s Will Howard. That signaled continued confidence that Rodgers would ultimately join the team.
As Rodgers mulled his options, he stayed busy. He was seen throwing with new Steelers wideout DK Metcalf — acquired in a trade with the Seahawks — during a session in California. He also made public appearances, including the Kentucky Derby and several Mike. concerts, where he hinted at his impending move to Pittsburgh when asked about potentially playing for the rival Chicago Bears.
The Giants were reportedly in the mix for Rodgers before signing Wilson to a one-year, $10.5 million deal in late March. The Vikings also showed interest, but opted to continue developing 2024 first-rounder J.J. McCarthy as their future starter.
Rodgers’ first game in black and gold will come against his most recent team, as the Steelers are set to open the 2025 season on the road against the New York Jets — a storyline-rich showdown that will draw national attention.
The news had an immediate impact in the betting world. On ESPN BET, the Steelers’ odds to win the AFC North improved from +550 to +500, and their odds of making the playoffs shifted from +150 to +140.
For Pittsburgh, Rodgers represents more than a quarterback — he’s a signal of renewed ambition in a fiercely competitive division. And for Rodgers, the Steelers may offer one final opportunity to chase glory before the curtain falls on a legendary career.
