It’s now June, and Aaron Rodgers still hasn’t signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The team allowed their 2024 quarterbacks, Russell Wilson and Justin Fields, to leave in free agency—Wilson joined the New York Giants, while Fields signed with the New York Jets.
As free agency began, the top quarterback options available via free agency or trade were Sam Darnold, who signed with the Seattle Seahawks; Geno Smith, traded to the Las Vegas Raiders; and Rodgers.
The Steelers chose not to pursue Darnold or Smith, making Rodgers their primary target. In mid-March, the two parties met at the Steelers’ facilities for about six hours. Multiple reports indicate the meeting went well, with Rodgers and the team agreeing to keep communication open.
It’s been over two months since their in-person meeting, but no deal appears imminent—at least publicly.
Steelers insider Gerry Dulac discussed the situation on 102.5 DVE Monday Morning, a local Pittsburgh radio show, saying that if it’s not Rodgers, the team already has a starting quarterback on the roster for 2025.
“I believe, and have been told, that if it’s not Aaron Rodgers, we’ll find a veteran quarterback to back up Mason Rudolph,” Dulac said.
The Steelers re-signed Mason Rudolph this offseason on a two-year deal following his brief time with the Tennessee Titans in 2024. Rudolph started his career in Pittsburgh as a third-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft and spent six seasons with the team before entering free agency last year.
With the Titans, Rudolph appeared in eight games and started five, completing 146 of 228 passes (64%) for 1,530 yards and nine touchdowns, demonstrating he can be a reliable backup at minimum.
With the Steelers, Rudolph started 13 of the 21 games he played, completing 63.5% of his passes for 3,085 yards and 19 touchdowns.
After the 2021 season, Steelers legend Ben Roethlisberger retired, closing a chapter in the franchise’s history. Rudolph seemed poised to become the starter the following year, but the team’s first-round pick of Kenny Pickett and the signing of Mitchell Trubisky created a competitive quarterback room.
As the 2025 season approaches, Rudolph faces a similar situation. However, all signs point to him being the Steelers’ starting quarterback in Week 1 if Rodgers opts to retire.
