With the third round of the NFL draft ongoing, Aaron Rodgers looms over the developing quarterback landscape. Connections to the Steelers continue as the team weighs a potential rookie addition. 
Owner Art Rooney II said during a Friday appearance on Steelers Now that Rodgers does “want” to come to Pittsburgh (h/t ESPN’s Brooke Pryor). He added news on this long-running front may be coming soon as a result.
Team and player have remained in communication this week, with the Steelers obviously preferring to have clarity on whether or not Rodgers will sign prior to the start of the draft. It remains to be seen if the 41-year-old will play at all next year, but if he does a short Pittsburgh stint would come as no surprise given the interest shown in him. No timeline is in place, but a number of QB prospects are still on the board with the Steelers due to pick 83rd overall.
During his recent public comments on his situation, Rodgers said personal matters are currently receiving the bulk of his attention during his lengthy free agent stint. The four-time MVP has communicated to teams he is prepared to take a one-year deal in the $10MM range, an arrangement which would certainly leave the door open to the addition of a rookie. Rodgers is (at least publicly) on board with suitors moving forward with a QB draft pick, and it will be interesting to see if the Steelers do indeed go that route soon.
Pittsburgh was among the teams which had a first-round grade on Jaxson Dart, but the team turned down the opportunity to select him and instead took Oregon defensive tackle Derrick Harmon. Shedeur Sanders, meanwhile, remains on the board with the opening two rounds in the books. Head coach Mike Tomlin is believed to be a fan of Sanders, making him a potential target with the team’s third-rounder.
In any event, Rooney’s comments made it clear a rookie would not be expected to handle starting duties right away in 2025. The team has Mason Rudolph back in the fold for next season, and Rodgers would of course occupy the QB1 role in the event he were to take Pittsburgh’s long-standing offer. A long-term solution under center remains a logical goal, though.
“It’s going to be somebody that will be developing and may play down the road,” Rooney said (via Alan Saunders of Steelers Now). “It’s not like somebody that’s going to have a big impact on this season.”
The Steelers have made it clear they will enter training camp with four quarterbacks, two more than they currently have. Rodgers is obviously still in play to join the team at some point as the wait continues with respect to seeing Pittsburgh’s draft plans.
Oh brother
Oh shut up Art.
What is this some sort of New Fangled Rooney rule?
All he has to do is prove it and sign the contract. Until then …..
I can feel laughter getting closer. On a side note it’s starting to look more and more like Sanders might fall to them anyway. Whether that’s another side splitter or not we’ll see.
Draft Sanders anyway.
What a pathetic process this has been
Be interesting to see if they get both Rodgers and Sanders how wide they have to make the meeting room doors so both their heads fit in.
If they end up with both, I may actually vomit.
Better hope that Tomlin loves Milroe more than he loves Rodgers or Sanders.
Or remembers they really need a RB.
I think that if Millie is still there at 83, he might be their guy. And I’d be OK with that.
Another poster sold me on Milroe as a project QB.
The idea Sanders is a franchise guy seems silly at this point.
He remembered.
Seems like another good pick, actually.
Well they passed on Sanders again. Now what? It’s obvious that one thing NFL GM’s hate more than sex offenses is attitude. Ravens are starting to buy into the Chiefs felon philosophy I guess. But Green went before Sanders so……?
Really bad comment and ill-advised. Both know what they are doing in the pocket, both are winners and if you don’t think you are the best in the room, you have no business being in the national football League. Perfect scenario for both Rodgers and Sanders in my opinion.
That just might be the funniest comment I’ve read yet. Stop it! You’re slaying me. Do you have a comedy special? Nyuk Nyuk.
Under your skin easy tells me I got it right, but I knew that. Nyuk nyuk. I prefer quiet confidence in my quarterback, Jalen in Philly comes to mind,fly eagles fly.
Under my skin? I’m a Bears fan. Why would I give a crap. I’m only in it because Tomlin and his joke of a FO benched Fields to screw the Bears out a draft pick based on playing time. Now they have no QB’s which I find amusing. If you had shown up weeks ago you’d know that instead of getting powder burns around your mouth. LOL
Wow I really feel bad for you. Sorry for your continued losses year after year after year after year.
Art needs to retire and let his kid take over..I am so sick of Rodgers, artie and tomlin. I’m watching the draft and I see these teams trading and the steelers sit with their fingers up their posteriors. Sad how the steelers,pirates and penguins have slid into oblivion. Art inexplicably believes that the steelers can win the superbowl with an idiot QB and a MORON coach.
But the moron coach did win a Super Bowl…moron.
I never bought into the idea he won with Cowher’s players. I do now. The Steelers era of being a marquise franchise may not have ended when those players slowly retired, but the door sure closed when Colbert retired
What a train wreck of an off season
Even morons get lucky. I mean we have the biggest moron ever as current President and we all know how great he is. Although it is safe to assume you are a big fan.
Hes so lucky hes never had a losing season and has been to the playoffs more often then not? Yeah ok bro. Go sign an Adam Gase and get back to me, you’ll be begging for Tomlin back lmao
That’s a tired, old take. Is Tomlin a good coach? Sure. No doubts. But the style and messages have gotten old. The “consecutive winning seasons” slant is nice. And the one-win-above-.500 style has limited their drafts year after year. They’re firmly in the “mushy middle”
Not that I want to see Tomlin go. But between hiring guys like Arthur Smith and his 1970’s approach to running an offense and cow-towing to an old QB at the end of his career, the lack of foresight and fresh ideas really wears thin
One win should not guarantee you a job for life. But this is Pittsburgh so I guess.
Pa adam…how long has it been since he won that superbowl? How many years since he’s been in another? Since he lost to greenbay.
One superbowl doesn’t make a lifetime egomaniac
MORON
Steelers move on and draft a QB…Im sure Will Howard would work better then Shedeur Sanders in Tomlins offense….certainly better then diva Rodgers
Okay, I’ve seen some ridiculous Rodgers takes on here, but the idea that Will Howard is definitely a better QB than Aaron Rodgers has got to be up there with the best of them.
Well the Steelers ranked 29th in pass protection last season and have done nothing in the early draft to address that problem. Rodgers would be a sitting duck for opposing defenses. If he were smart he would just retire but I don’t know if his ego would allow that to happen.
I guess Browns fans are wondering how Sanders has been passed over, too. Very strange. The kid played behind a bad line at Colorado and had success. You’d think that translates to the Steelers, at least
How many teams needed a QB in this draft? Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Tennessee and New Orleans. How many have one guy holding them hostage about his plans for the coming season.
Just seems like it’s the whole rationale behind their selections so far. I get the selections so far.
They make sense.
But not trading up to get a possible franchise QB?
Lacks logic
Also according to Rooney: Roethlesberger and Bradshaw want to play for the Steelers.
Have to agree with what so many have said here
I used to be a Tomlin fan. But this entire Rodgers drama just leaves me cold. No doubt in my mind they’ll wait until the last pick or two to get a QB and ordinarily, that’d be fine
But this article only reinforces the idea that they are trying to win brownie points with Rodgers.
Brownie points?
Pardon me, I’m old school and that’s an old term. How about “sucking up?”
I see retirement as a better option. No chance at a ring in Pittsburgh. What good are brownie points Eddie.
Brownie points means trying to curry favor with the guy, Jack
I agree with you 100%. Not sure why you’re busting my chops over terminology but ok
Old school far short jack. Eddie are you a cruiser?
Why doesnt anyone want shedeur? This late in the draft?
How many NFL teams have to pass over a guy multiple times before it sinks in that maybe Sanders isn’t that good?
His BEST comp was Andy Dalton, FFS. Weak arm with coachability questions.
Steelers need to ignore him one more time and take a WR (I saw a Canadian WR project for the 4th who seemed intriguing) so they can have the option to flip Pickens at the deadline.
Then take whoever is the best QB on your board in the 5th. Someone to follow the old Mason Rudolph track…the we’ll give you A chance to show you can play but mostly groomed to be a backup. Let this guy and Mason compete after Rodgers gets hurts or quits or vanishes or whatever.