It may or may not be a “safe bet” that quarterback Aaron Rodgers will eventually sign with the Pittsburgh Steelers this offseason, as he is reportedly still an option for a New York Giants team that is looking for a bridge player at the position this spring.
During Monday’s edition of the “Pro Football Talk Live” program, NFL insider Mike Florio ripped Pittsburgh fans who are against the club landing Rodgers.
“I would say to those who are reluctant to embrace Aaron Rodgers the same thing I’d say to those who want to fire (Pittsburgh head coach) Mike Tomlin,” Florio said, as shared by Troy Montgomery of Steelers Depot. “Have you lost your minds? I think Steelers fans should be thrilled with the prospect of adding a guy who can come in and actually play quarterback the way that the coaching staff intends it to be played. And at a level that there aren’t a lot of guys out there, and definitely not a lot of guys you can just go pluck in free agency who will come in and play the way you need the position to be played to complement everything else the Steelers do well.”
Rodgers’ conversation with Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith during a recent lengthy meeting reportedly “went very well,” but there nevertheless are legitimate reasons one may feel the 41-year-old can’t “play quarterback the way that the coaching staff intends it to be played” this coming fall. For starters, Rodgers hasn’t completed what could be considered a good season since he became a four-time NFL Most Valuable Player in 2021.
Per Pro Football Reference, Rodgers finished the 2022 campaign ranked 27th in the NFL with a 41.3 adjusted QBR after he spent a portion of that season dealing with a broken thumb on his throwing hand. He essentially missed the following season because of a torn Achilles, and he was then slowed by multiple injury issues
as he and the New York Jets limped through what became a 5-12 campaign in 2024.
With that said, Rodgers did manage to turn the clock back at times during his one full season in the Jets’ lineup. He passed for 289 yards and three touchdowns in a Week 15 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars, and he later tossed four touchdown passes in New York’s Week 18 win over the Miami Dolphins.
Meanwhile, some fans and local media personalities called for the Steelers to move on from Tomlin this past January because he hasn’t recorded a playoff victory since the 2016 season. Florio clearly disagrees with the anti-Tomlin and anti-Rodgers portions of the Pittsburgh fan base.
“This sense I’m getting from Steelers fans that they just don’t want this guy,” Florio added about Rodgers. “You say you want to win, but you must not want to win.”
Rodgers could reject the Steelers to either sign with the Giants or play for the Minnesota Vikings if that club elects to develop 2024 first-round draft pick J.J. McCarthy as a backup after he spent his rookie season recovering from a full meniscus repair. Tomlin and Co. clearly think a healthy Rodgers is their best option for 2025, but it appears the veteran will have to win over some paying customers if he relocates to the Steel City.
