The New York Jets confirmed the expected news on Thursday when they announced they would be moving on from quarterback Aaron Rodgers this offseason.
During the latest edition of the “Locked on Steelers” podcast, Pittsburgh Steelers insider Brooke Pryor of ESPN addressed rumors that the club could sign Rodgers to a team-friendly contract similar to how the franchise acquired Russell Wilson last March.
“Aaron Rodgers isn’t Russell Wilson, but it is a very similar move,” Pryor explained, Steelers Depot’s Matthew Marczi shared. “It worked out somewhat [this past season], but not enough to say that, ‘Yeah, we want to run that back in this coming year.’ Not only do you not get the same upside that you got with the Russell Wilson moon ball if you bring in Aaron Rodgers — to me, he’s not as consistent. He is also, I think, a terrible presence in the locker room. Every single time he talks, it’s a sub-tweet at someone.”
It was reported in January that veterans such as Rodgers and Kirk Cousins of the Atlanta Falcons did not “interest” the Steelers “more than what they have” in Wilson and fellow pending free agent Justin Fields. However, whispers have emerged hinting that the Steelers could target a proven commodity such as Rodgers to replace both Wilson and Fields.
While Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer said on Wednesday that “an outside quarterback” has the best chance to be Pittsburgh’s QB1 this September, he linked the Steelers with Matthew Stafford of the Los Angeles Rams. Pittsburgh could look to get Stafford and wide receiver Cooper Kupp as soon as next month.
As for Rodgers, a report from earlier this week said that the Jets wanted the 41-year-old to stop his “Pat McAfee Show” appearances and attend all training camp practices after skipping New York’s two-day mandatory minicamp this past June because of a pre-planned trip. Roughly two years ago, Rodgers allegedly “supplied the Jets with a wish list of free agents” he wanted them to pursue before he agreed to join Gang Green from the Green Bay Packers that spring.
“You don’t just get Aaron Rodgers the football player,” Pryor continued. “You get Aaron Rodgers and the ‘Pat McAfee’ appearances weekly. You get Aaron Rodgers and demanding that the team make trades to bring in (receivers and friends) Davante Adams and Allen Lazard.”
Perhaps Rodgers could convince head coach Mike Tomlin that he’d be on his best behavior for even one season and wouldn’t generate headlines via non-football interviews. That said, it sounds like Tomlin and others within the Steelers want no part of what would come with Rodgers at this point in the future Hall of Famer’s career.
