OTAs are well underway in Pittsburgh as the Aaron Rodgers free agency saga continues. June is rapidly approaching, and the former Super Bowl-winning quarterback still hasn’t put pen to paper.
Rodgers has long since been connected to the Steelers after being released from the New York Jets earlier this offseason. The two parties have met in person, and all signs point toward Rodgers suiting up in the black and yellow in 2025. However, it hasn’t turned out to be that simple.
“The Steelers are just kind of hanging right now,” ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler explained during SportsCenter on Saturday morning. “When I talk to people with the team, they say the same thing, that they have had contact with Aaron Rodgers. They’ve remained optimistic that he will be a Steeler, but there’s just nothing fast and firm yet on him signing with the team. They continue to develop Mason Rudolph and Will Howard in OTAs. They would hope that by minicamp (June) 10-12, that he’s a part of it. But right now, this has been unpredictable.”
The June 10-12 dates are for the Steelers’ mandatory minicamp. Currently, Pittsburgh is in the midst of OTAs, which are voluntary offseason workouts. NFL veterans have the choice to participate in these workouts, and with Rodgers having two decades of experience under his belt, he likely wouldn’t be a participant in these workouts anyway.
Still, Rodgers is the last major quarterback still on the market. Most of the quarterback-needy teams have made their final roster decisions under center this offseason, leaving Rodgers with less than a handful of teams to play for next season.
If not the Steelers, the New Orleans Saints are another team that is currently looking for its next quarterback. However, Rodgers put these rumors to bed earlier this month. That leaves the Steelers as one of the most logical franchises for the former NFL MVP to sign with.
As Fowler mentioned, Mason Rudolph and rookie Will Howard are the two main quarterbacks on the roster after the departures of Russell Wilson and Justin Fields. Howard said that he is open to the idea of learning under Rodgers, while Rudolph noted that the “constant noise” doesn’t surprise him regarding Rodgers’ potential arrival.
As it stands, no deal has been made between Rodgers and the Steelers. With no progress appearing to be made in recent days, everyone will be forced to continue playing the waiting game.
