Aaron Rodgers contract
Aaron Rodgers contract
For most of the offseason, the Pittsburgh Steelers have been heavily criticized for the way they approached their quarterback room. The Steelers’ offers to players like Justin Fields and Sam Darnold weren’t enough to convince either to sign with them, prompting them to wait several months for Aaron Rodgers. He finally agreed to sign late last week, and according to his former teammate and current FOX Sports analyst James Jones, the Steelers ended up with the best option at quarterback anyway.
“They ended up getting it right,” Jones said Monday on FS1’s The Facility. “Because even with all those dudes on that roster, if you paid them all the same amount of dollars, Aaron Rodgers is the best quarterback. You coulda went after Sam Darnold, you coulda went after Justin Fields, Russell Wilson and all that. But Aaron Rodgers, at 41 years old is still the best quarterback on that list. And you got him at the price you got him at. So I definitely believe they got it right.”
The Steelers entered this offseason in a dilemma, with both Justin Fields and Russell Wilson hitting the open market. Pittsburgh made no effort to retain Wilson, but did end up making an offer to Fields. He eventually chose the New York Jets after they offered him more guaranteed money. Pittsburgh also made an offer to Darnold, although it didn’t match the one he received from the Seattle Seahawks
So, the wait on Aaron Rodgers began, and it lasted quite a while. The Steelers eventually landed him, though, and they got him on quite an affordable deal, with his maximum value reportedly coming in at less than $20 million. Looking at each of these options, though, did the Steelers really make the right decision?
One benefit to Rodgers is that the Steelers aren’t locked into anything beyond the 2025 season. Fields and Darnold both carry more risk toward the future, especially Darnold, considering his situation. He did have a fantastic 2024 season, but it was with one of the more respected offensive minds in the game in Kevin O’Connell, and he hasn’t had any sustained success outside of that year.
With Fields, things are a little more complicated. Arthur Smith is reportedly fond of Fields, and his deal with the Jets only lasts two years. Had Pittsburgh kept him around, the argument can be made that it would have more of a plan toward the future.
As funny as it may sound, though, signing Rodgers could indicate a plan for the future in Pittsburgh anyway. Pittsburgh’s got key players across its roster who are only getting older, especially on defense. With Rodgers, the Steelers give themselves the best chance to win now.
The 2026 NFL Draft looks like a good chance for Pittsburgh to finally find its quarterback of the future. Regardless of how the 2025 season plays out, Rodgers probably won’t be back next year. The Steelers have managed to stockpile draft picks for 2026. That gives them plenty of flexibility to try and trade up to find their next franchise quarterback, if they need to. And if the Aaron Rodgers experiment fails, maybe they have a high enough draft pick to land a quarterback without even having to trade up for one.
Jones is a former teammate of Rodgers, and has been supportive of him throughout the offseason. It’s not surprising that he’s praising Rodgers again here. Still, there may be some truth to his opinion. The Steelers probably aren’t making a Super Bowl run in 2025, but all things considered, Rodgers could have been their best option all along.
Related Items:Aaron Rodgers, FS1, James Jones, Justin Fields, Sam Darnold, The Facility