The Aaron Rodgers offseason saga hasn’t had many updates since his visit to the Pittsburgh Steelers last week. But with the Minnesota Vikings leaning on J.J. McCarthy and the New York Giants signing Russell Wilson on Tuesday, Mike Tomlin and company seem to be in pole position to get the four-time NFL MVP.
However, it appears that waiting for the Vikings or joining the Steelers wouldn’t be the only options for Rodgers this offseason. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the 41-year-old could still turn Tomlin’s team down to retire or take a break from football.
“It seems that for Rodgers, it’s going to be the Pittsburgh Steelers,” Rapoport said in an appearance on Good Morning Football on Wednesday. “Certainly, the team he visited, certainly the leader in the clubhouse for Aaron Rodgers. Or he’s gonna say, ‘you know what, I’m not gonna play this year,’ or ‘I’m not gonna play right now.’ That’s still up in the air.”
Rodgers may have to choose between Steelers or retirement
After a disappointing, two-year tenure with the New York Jets that followed an unforgettable 18-year stint with the Green Bay Packers, Rodgers has a big decision to make late in his career.
Russell Wilson #3 and Justin Fields #2 of the Pittsburgh Steelers look on as head coach Mike Tomlin of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Aaron Rodgers #8 of the New York Jets embrace after the game at Acrisure Stadium on October 20, 2024 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
With the Giants taking Wilson after adding Jameis Winston, the option of staying in the Big Apple appears to be off the table. This leaves the Steelers as a strong possibility, given that the Vikings reportedly want to see McCarthy as starter.
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Is A-Rod ready to come back for a 21st season in the NFL? Or is he planning to hang them up? It’s still a bit soon to tell, but in the event he decides to continue playing, the Steelers may have the biggest chances to acquire his services.
Rodgers reportedly feels Tomlin’s Steelers could be similar to Packers
According to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, the struggles in New York made Rodgers miss the good old days in Green Bay, where he challenged for multiple titles and won a Super Bowl in 2011.
The report claims that Rodgers sees the Steelers, coached by Tomlin since 2007 and full of veteran stars, as a team that could make him feel a similar experience to the one he lived with the Packers.
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“I’ve heard Rodgers is looking for a culture such as the one in Green Bay,” Breer wrote. “I get it if that sounds a little strange after the drama of the four-time MVP’s final years as a Packer. But over the past few months, Rodgers has been open with people around him on his renewed appreciation for what he had for 18 seasons in Wisconsin. Call it a grass-is-greener dynamic if you want, but it definitely has felt, to some of those around him, like spending a couple years as a New York Jet made Rodgers view the situation he had more favorably.
“That’s also one area where the Steelers have an edge—Pittsburgh has a long-established culture, a family-business feel, and stability, just like Green Bay. It also helps, I’d think, that the roster is stocked with decorated veterans such as T.J. Watt, Cam Heyward, Minkah Fitzpatrick and now DK Metcalf, who are deep into their careers and presumably would carry a similar win-now urgency to Rodgers.“
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A free agent after parting with the Jets, Rodgers’ intentions for the 2025 NFL season remain uncertain. With the Giants ruled out and the Vikings seemingly taking another route, the Steelers could be his most logical landing spot, unless he chooses not to play next year.
