Will Pittsburgh Steelers’ players welcome Aaron Rodgers into the locker room?
The Pittsburgh Steelers are now eight days into the 2025 NFL year. They still don’t know who their starting quarterback will be. Despite the Minnesota Vikings not throwing their hat into the Rodgers ring, a decision still doesn’t seem likely to come anytime soon.
Angst is building outside and inside the Steelers’ building. Face of the franchise Cam Heyward made that clear with his “who cares” sentiment on his podcast, declining to recruit Rodgers and effectively telling him to sign or not. That’s not a philosophical stance; Heyward recruited Darius Slay to sign with Pittsburgh.
If Heyward feels comfortable saying it out loud, it’s easy to imagine how players are talking internally. For the second-straight year, Pittsburgh is at the mercy of a long-standing player decision saga. In 2024, it was WR Brandon Aiyuk. In 2025, it’s QB Aaron Rodgers. A storyline that hopefully won’t take months to complete but one that comes at sports’ most important position.
The longer Rodgers waits, the less it seems like he’s all in on Pittsburgh. Reports have already noted that the Steelers are his second choice. Had the Vikings been players, he would’ve gone to Minnesota. For all of Russell Wilson’s warts, and there are many, he’s been eager to return to Pittsburgh and didn’t drag out his free agent journey. He spoke with the Steelers, made a pit stop to New York, flew into Pittsburgh, and signed.
Of course, if Rodgers becomes a Steeler, the rest of the locker room has to roll with it. There’s no other choice. And if he and the team play well, all will be forgiven and forgotten. But it doesn’t sound like the locker room is thrilled with how any of this has played out.
Who could be? Pittsburgh’s set to go a second-straight season with complete turnover at quarterback. Justin Fields, liked by players and coaches, is in New York. Wilson, who at least had the players’ respect, is left twisting in the wind despite the Steelers’ public comments of wanting him or Fields back. Clearly, a lie.
And so the Steelers are left waiting on Rodgers and all the storylines he brings even before setting foot in the locker room.
The Steelers’ 2024 season has come to its predictably inauspicious end, with yet another one-and-done postseason for HC Mike Tomlin. The offense faltered, and the defense matched it blow for blow, leading to a 21-0 first-half deficit.
Just like last year, the biggest question hanging over the Steelers is the quarterback question. Do theystill believe in Russell Wilson and/or Justin Fields, or do they want another solution? There areother major decisions to make, as well, such as what to do with George Pickens. Do you sign him to an extension, try to trade him, or let him play out his rookie contract?
The Steelers started the 2024 season 10-3, with Mike Tomlin in the Coach of the Year conversation. Wash, rinse, and repeat, and we have another late-season collapse. This may be the worst yet, a four-game losing streak presaging a one-and-done playoff “run”. Welcome to Steelers football.
Recommended for you