Rodgers Signs With Steelers: What It Means
What some might say was inevitable has happened. But what can we expect now?
What some might have said was inevitable has finally happened: Aaron Rodgers had signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers and is expected to be their starting quarterback for 2025.
Rodgers agreed to terms this past week on a one-year deal for $13.65M with $10M fully guaranteed, plus incentives that can push the deal to $19.5M.
For perspective, Rodgers' base salary is less than what Daniel Jones got in his one-year deal with the Indianapolis Colts ($14M) — and Jones has no guarantee that he will be the starting quarterback. In other words, this is a "prove it" type of deal for Rodgers, who failed to make an impact in the past two seasons with the New York Jets.
The Steelers aren't risking a lot with this deal, though they do enter 2025 as a team with the expectation of making the playoffs. Signing Rodgers makes it clear the Steelers still believe they can make a playoff run.
But the risk for the Steelers comes from the fact that they have been a team that has finished with nine to 10 wins the past few seasons, meaning they haven't finished with a high draft pick in the first round. The risk isn't simply about whether the Steelers make the playoffs as whether or not they do just enough to finish with nine to 10 wins and are in the same position they've been the past couple of seasons.
Back in 2022, the Steelers did attempt to address the quarterback position by drafting Kenny Pickett. He didn't live up to expectations and the Steelers opted to sign Russell Wilson in 2024 (taking advantage of the fact the Broncos still owed him $35M or so when they released him). The Steelers then traded for Justin Fields and passed on the available quarterbacks in 2024.
The Steelers didn't draft a QB in 2025 until the final rounds. If they are thinking about the 2026 draft class, though, they would have to make a bold move up the board should they finish with a high first-round draft pick.
Obviously, if the Steelers finish with a top 10 pick, that would indicate the Rodgers signing failed to deliver. With that said, a top 10 pick gives the Steelers the chance to find a quarterback in what is said to be a good class of prospects. As for the money they pay to Rodgers, it's not insignificant but it's much less than one might have expected the Steelers to pay him.
Of course, if the Steelers do make the playoffs and pull off a deep run, there could be a temptation to try bringing Rodgers back for another year. Who knows if Rodgers would come back, regardless of what happens, but it may be worth asking if the Steelers should keep going to that well when it may be better to draft a QB for the long term.
As for Rodgers, it's possible that he was deciding between the Steelers and retirement. Some might have suggested Rodgers going to a different team, but it wouldn't surprise me if he ruled out any team that didn't make the playoffs in 2024. It's not likely Rodgers would have wanted to join a team who missed the playoffs last year, particularly one with a new regime in place.
If Rodgers truly did believe the Steelers were his best chance at going to the playoffs, and he wasn't going to sign with a team whose playoffs prospects were minimal, that may explain why he was willing to take a lot less money than some may have expected.
All things considered, the Rodgers signing doesn't represent much risk for the Steelers, with the main concern being what it means for their draft position in 2026 and the need to consider the long-term QB situation. For Rodgers, he gets to join a team that made the playoffs last year and has a good front office and coaching staff in place.
There may still be questions for both sides about 2026, but that will come later. For now, we'll see what happens with what might be called the inevitable pairing.