With the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 2025 schedule now released and the path forward clear, things are starting to take shape for the Black and Gold. Except for at quarterback.
Despite still not having a decision from 41-year-old quarterback Aaron Rodgers, the Steelers have some juicy early-season matchups that feature some revenge games for the four-time NFL MVP if he signs with them. They include the season-opener on the road against the New York Jets, and a Week 8 Sunday Night Football matchup against the Green Bay Packers at Acrisure Stadium.
For former NFL offensive lineman Damien Woody, who is currently an ESPN analyst, those early-season matchups with former Rodgers teams leads him to believe the league has some inkling that Rodgers and the Steelers have a handshake deal. But during his appearance on ESPN’s Unsportsmanlike Thursday morning, he’s questioning why, if that’s the case, he hasn’t just signed with the Steelers by now to start building chemistry with teammates and settling into a new situation.
“I have no idea. I mean, think about it: new offense, new skill-position players. Granted, Aaron Rodgers has played a thousand years in this league, but it’s still something what we call chemistry that you gotta have. There’s nothing like being in the building and building relationships with the players and the coaching staff,” Woody said, according to audio via ESPN Radio. “And he’s just, there’s nothing. There’s nothing. And [it’s] like, what’s going on? Why hasn’t this transaction happened?
“I could see, ‘Okay, I’m gonna wait until after the draft just to make sure the Steelers don’t try to pull a fast one.’ The draft is come and gone. So what’s the holdup right now?”
That’s the multi-million-dollar question that everyone is asking regarding Rodgers and the Steelers.
Pittsburgh is staying patient, giving Rodgers time and space to make his decision. But the longer this drags on, the more it hinders the team-building process in the offseason. This is all the Steelers can do at this point. This is the mess they’ve made at the quarterback position with Rodgers, for which they have been heavily criticized.
If Rodgers wanted to wait and see what the Steelers did in the draft to make sure they didn’t draft a quarterback in the first round, he’s waited long enough. As Woody said, the 2025 NFL Draft has come and gone. Even rookie minicamp is over with. The Steelers are just waiting on Rodgers.
Why this is taking so long is anyone’s guess. The last time we heard from Rodgers, he stated on The Pat McAfee Show that he wasn’t even thinking about football and was dealing with some personal stuff off the field. The clock is ticking. Organized Team Activities starting on May 27 are coming fast and furious, and we’re seemingly no closer to a decision from Rodgers.
It’s concerning. But there’s not much the Steelers can do but hurry up and wait some more.
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