Aaron Rodgers is back in the spotlight, no thanks to his appearance last week on The Pat McAfee Show. The 41-year-old QB finally gave an update about his NFL future (if you’d call it that), hinting that he’s weighing his options — including the possibility of joining the Steelers. He even made it clear that hanging up the cleats for good isn’t off the table.
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Naturally, fans and franchises alike are eager for more clarity, especially Steelers supporters, who are growing anxious as their team waits on Rodgers’ decision. Well, luckily for those concerned, seasoned Steelers insider Gerry Dulac has some answers to ease their nerves.
In his appearance on The Rich Eisen Show, Dulac first admitted that Pittsburgh’s pursuit of Rodgers is “very un-Steeler-like” because of the team’s uncharacteristic approach in chasing a quarterback who, despite his illustrious career, is nearing the end of his playing days.
Dulac added nuance to his point by highlighting concerns about Rodgers’ 2024 performance with the Jets, including a career-low passer rating and a 5-12 record, despite having talented receivers like Garrett Wilson and Davante Adams by his side.
Considering Wilson and Adams are better than the Steelers’ receiving cohort on paper, the veteran journalist found it surprising that Mike Tomlin and company have so much faith in Rodgers.
“When they signed Russell Wilson, it was like, okay, you know, a 36-year-old. Now… you’re going to 41, who’s going to be 42 in December, who won five games last year with the Jets, [and] had his lowest passer rating of his career since he became a starter,” said Dulac.
“His three wide receivers were Garrett Wilson, Davante Adams, and Allen Lazard — who were three better receivers than the Steelers had last year. And he won only five games. And so, to put all your eggs in that basket — it was surprising to me,” he added.
Despite these reservations, Dulac still believes the Steelers are optimistic that Aaron Rodgers will don the black and gold colors in a few months’ time. He noted that the front office’s willingness to wait shows their confidence in securing the quarterback, though they remain mindful of the possibility that Rodgers may choose a different path.
“So, I think they truly believe that he will sign with them and that they will go forward. But they are well aware that it may not happen. But I believe — and that they believe — he will be on this team.”
Pittsburgh’s patience, however, comes at a cost, as it limits their ability to explore other quarterback options. Going all in on Rodgers is a big gamble too, especially after his appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, where the four-time NFL MVP’s words indicated that he has a lot going on in his personal life. It certainly seemed that retirement could be just as appealing an option.
For the Pittsburgh-based journalist, this bullish approach has led the team to publicly express comfort with Mason Rudolph as a potential starter. However, as we all know, this is the third time Mike Tomlin and company have made such a claim, only to pursue other options afterward.
“And now this delay has caused them to maybe miss out potentially on some other veteran quarterbacks. They say they are very comfortable with Mason Rudolph, but I will tell you — this is the third edition of them saying they’re very comfortable with Mason Rudolph, and he’s been bypassed and let go on the two other occasions…”
The team’s commitment to Rodgers has also influenced their draft strategy, with reports suggesting they are considering quarterbacks like Shedeur Sanders and Jaxson Dart — even if it means trading up.
However, Dulac suggested that the Steelers are more likely to target a quarterback in the 2026 draft should they not secure Rodgers this offseason.
“Rich, I firmly believe that they are all in on quarterback in 2026 based on what I hear and what I’ve been told. They will have extra draft capital next year between all the comp picks they will get — the third- and fourth-round picks they will get. I believe that’s when they will make a deal to get an extra number two.”
For now, uncertainty is the name of the game for the Steelers. We’ll just have to wait and see what they decide to do.
