Aaron Rodgers needs a new team for his 21st season in the NFL, and the Pittsburgh Steelers under head coach Mike Tomlin are desperate for an answer at quarterback, especially after trading for star receiver DK Metcalf.
That could lead to the two sides coming together in 2025 in the Steel City, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Monday morning that Rodgers is “emerging” as an option for the Steelers at the quarterback position. For former NFL GM and current ESPN analyst Mike Tannenbaum, a possible Rodgers-Steelers pairing seems like a “marriage of convenience” for the two sides.
Appearing on ESPN’s Unsportsmanlike conduct Monday morning, Tannenbaum spoke on the report from Schefter about Rodgers emerging as an option for the Steelers at the QB position. For Tannenbaum, this is Rodgers seeing his own football mortality, and that it could be a move for one year for both Rodgers and the Steelers to help each other out.
“I think this is a different Aaron Rodgers, who’s feeling and seeing his football mortality. He’ll be 42 in December and, like it’s a marriage of convenience for him and Mike Tomlin,” Tannenbaum said of a possible Rodgers-Steelers pairing, according to audio via ESPN Radio. “I thought of all the moves that we saw, guys, I thought the biggest move of the weekend was, I thought it was a seminal moment when the Steelers acquired DK Metcalf because it was the first time since Jerome Bettis that they went outside the organization and made a meaningfully big impact move. And I think that was their message to say this nine and eight one and done the playoffs isn’t good enough anymore.”
It was a seminal moment for the Steelers and GM Omar Khan, who landed the big fish he’d been chasing for more than a calendar year at the receiver position. Of course, it wasn’t the biggest trade since Bettis, considering the Steelers traded for safety Minkah Fitzpatrick during the 2019 season and saw him go on to change the Steelers’ defense entirely, but it’s a fair point from Tannenbaum.
The move to acquire Metcalf in the trade Sunday, and then hand him a new deal worth $150 million was out of the norm for the Steelers, but it was a seismic move that was needed after the Steelers have been stuck in a rut, unable to get over the hump.
Now though, the biggest question is who is the quarterback? Justin Fields continues to wait, and reportedly wants to learn more about the situation with the New York Jets, which has guys like Russell Wilson and Rodgers waiting in the wings for the Steelers.
The acquisition of Metcalf, who has a great relationship with Wilson from their time in Seattle, would seemingly be a huge plus for a possible reunion with Wilson. But with Rodgers, it’s rather surprising, especially with the off-the-field headaches and headlines Rodgers provides from his media appearances and general comments.
For Tannenbaum, the only way it makes sense for the Steelers to sign Rodgers is if they plan on drafting his replacement in April, too, like a Jaxson Dart or a Jalen Milroe to learn under Rodgers, figure out how to be a pro from a preparation standpoint, and give the Steelers a runway after Rodgers rides off into the sunset.
“Like, so to me it’s a marriage of convenience. And then ironically, I was looking [at] Kenny Pickett where he was drafted. They’re [Steelers] one spot away. If you told me you had Aaron Rogers today and Jaxson Dart tomorrow, or whomever else, they like Jalen Millrose, the developmental guy, that makes sense,” Tannenbaum said. “This is the ultimate marriage of convenience. We’re going to help each other for one year. And then Aaron Rogers moves on into the sunset and the Steelers, hopefully, you know, they’re drafting their replacement.”
If that’s the path the Steelers ultimately take once things shake out, that would make some sense from Pittsburgh’s perspective. Trot out Rodgers for a year under Arthur Smith with Mike Tomlin overseeing things, unite the pairing of Tomlin and Rodgers that has been speculated about for years, and grab a quarterback in the draft class to develop.
It might not be the bridge QB almost all of Steeler Nation wants, but it could make sense if the Steelers — particularly Tomlin — can reign in the four-time NFL MVP and future Hall of Famer. After all, it would seemingly be just a marriage for convenience for one season.
Recommended for you