Aaron Rodgers will have the opportunity to become the next great quarterback to defeat all 32 teams. In week eight he’ll face his former team in the Green Bay Packers. However, he’ll be doing so on a contract that surprised many fans.
Aaron Rodgers’ Contract Details With Steelers Goes Viral (Report)
The Pittsburgh Steelers have confirmed that free agent quarterback Aaron Rodgers will sign with them this offseason, ending the off-season’s waiting game:
Maybe for an incredibly cheap price.
An NFL source had suggested to us that the deal might be valued in the $30 million range. … but Rodgers – who is expected fly to Pittsburgh soon and participate in the upcoming mandatory minicamp next week – once suggested to ESPN’s Pat McAfee that he’d play for “$10 million” because the money doesn’t matter.
Was he joking?
Or was he being literal?
The Steelers front office now sees their patience and optimism pay off as they completely built their NFL Draft plan based on the assumption that Rodgers would sign and allow them to target other needs outside of a quarterback … although they only had Mason Rudolph on contract. Pittsburgh would ultimately draft Will Howard as well, but they now fall down the depth chart to back up the four-time MVP.
And they might see it done on the cheap.
Rodgers enters the AFC North with the opportunity to draw the Steelers closer to contention with the Baltimore Ravens for the division crown. Last season, the Steelers finished second with a 10-7 record – two games behind the division champion Ravens.
The 41-year-old is coming off a lousy 2024 campaign with the New York Jets, but with a better supporting cast and new environment to ease his mental state (as best it can), hopefully Rodgers’ play will see a bit of resurgence.
He joins forces with star receiver DK Metcalf and tight end Pat Freiermuth as solid receiving targets along with an eclectic group of pass catchers in Calvin Austin, Roman Wilson and Robert Woods to work with.
Rookie running back Kaleb Johnson may start after Najee Harris left in free agency, so the pass game quickly turns into the Steelers expected identity rather than the run with an inexperienced ball carrier.
Pittsburgh likely still prefers their chances this season with Rodgers much more than last year’s cycle between Russell Wilson and Justin Fields under center, despite the team’s moderate success.
According to Ian Rapoport:
From GMFB: More on the #Steelers signing QB Aaron Rodgers, who said on PatMcAfeeShow that he would play for $10M and that does sound like the kind of low number the contract will be.
More offensive firepower with Rodgers at the helm should help.
And a $10 million deal for one year helps, too.
Is all of this enough to win the division? It’s too early to tell.
But if Rodgers ends up gaining credibility by playing for a fraction of what other “star QBs” make? It’s certainly a step in the right direction.
