The Pittsburgh Steelers have been the favorites to sign quarterback Aaron Rodgers, with other competitors for the future Hall of Famer taking themselves out of the running. However, a deal has never been imminent and we might now have some understanding of the reasoning behind it.
Early in the offseason, there were NFL rumors linking Rodgers to the Steelers and New York Giants. While the Giants quickly became a distant second in the competition, Pittsburgh quickly took that position when the Minnesota Vikings had the four-time NFL MVP on their radar.
However, Minnesota eventually backed off its pursuit of Rodgers. Just days later, the 41-year-old quarterback flew to Pittsburgh to meet with club officials. The 10-time Pro Bowl selections’ sit-down meeting with the club went well and all sides seemed to be on the same page. But more than a week later, he remains unsigned.
Appearing on Friday’s Inside Coverage podcast, senior reporter Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports shed light on the situation and why Rodgers might not have a contract until after the 2025 NFL Draft.
It’s an identical situation to the one the Vikings are in right now. Pittsburgh could certainly go out and sign Rodgers to a one-year contract tomorrow, but the salary he’d likely want would be factored into the compensatory pick formula for the 2026 NFL Draft.
If Rodgers is willing to be patient, it’s in the Steelers’ best interest to wait until after the 2025 NFL Draft. There’s also less risk right now since New York signed both Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston. While Rodgers could still retire, he seems more inclined to play and the Steelers are the only competitor offering him a guaranteed starting spot for next season.
With the 2025 NFL Draft running from Thursday, April 24, to Saturday, April 26, Pittsburgh could wait until Monday, April 28, to sign Rodgers. He’d still have time to join the team for offseason practices and Pittsburgh would be locked into its compensatory selections next year.
