PITTSBURGH –We have no idea how close Aaron Rodgers came to retiring from the NFL rather than joining the Steelers for his 21st season in the league. He insisted, though, he had no interest in any other organization than the one he chose to represent in the 2025 season.
“There were conversations with other organizations, for sure” he told reporters Tuesday at the team’s first mandatory mini-camp session. After speaking extensively with head coach Mike Tomlin, though, “There wasn’t any other option for me. It was here, or not playing.”
Rodgers made the decision official last Friday to sign with the Steelers and report this week, and that led to an even larger than usual contingent gathering at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. There were 10 minicams directed at the podium where he spoke afterward. There were visiting reporters from USA Today and the Washington Post, in addition to journalists from The Athletic, ESPN and Sporting News already stationed here.
The only thing that strongly resembled news from the occasion, other than the already established absence of superstar linebacker T.J. Watt, was the response of coach Mike Tomlin when asked if he anticipated there being a competition for the quarterback job when the team arrives at training camp in late July.
“I don’t,” Tomlin said.
As if there were any doubt, Aaron Rodgers is, as they say now, QB1.
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Rodgers said he chose to play at age 41 for “love of the game” and “making peace with a nice, long career” that includes 241 starts. That ranks sixth in league history among QBs, and he’ll pass No. 5 Ben Roethlisberger by keeping his job for seven games.
“I don’t need it for my ego. I don’t need to keep playing,” Rodgers said. “A lot of the decisions that I’ve made over my career and life from strictly an ego … even if they turn out well, they’re always unfulfilling. But decisions made strictly from the soul are usually pretty fulfilling. So this was a decision that was best for my soul.
“I felt like being here with Coach T and the guys they got here and the opportunity here was best for me.”
Quarterback Mason Rudolph, signed to a backup-type contract early the offseason, said he knew there’d be “somebody” coming in at the position. He said of Rodgers on Tuesday: “A big name, storied career — it’s been fun to work with him a couple days now. He’s been very inquisitive about the offense and very friendly.”
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The Steelers finished 10-7 last season and lost badly in the first round of the playoffs to rival Baltimore. They have not had a losing season since 2003, but also have not won a playoff game since 2016.
It seems reasonable to wonder if an offensive line that ranked eighth-worst in sacks allowed last season can protect a QB in his 40s who still is not far removed from an achilles tear. Rodgers said he spent considerable time talking with Tomlin before finalizing his decision.
“A big attraction was Mike Tomlin,” Rodgers said. “The way that the conversations went, between him and I, between March or April and last Sunday when I called him, was some of the coolest conversations I’ve had in the game. Definitely with a head coach. So he’s a big reason I’m here. I believe in him.
“I just appreciated the way he treated me throughout the process.”
With 14 minutes, 22 seconds left the first mini-camp segment that followed the obligatory stretching, Tomlin crossed the center of the practice field and began checking out the team’s top running backs going through a routine drill. As if he wanted to prove he would not join the rest of us in tracking every move Rodgers made.
There were no names on the back of anyone’s practice jersey, but it was obvious who was wearing No. 8, if only because so many of his throws were delivered with his weight still centered on his back foot. He was involved in individual skill-type drills but stood back and observed the “seven shots” competition designed to mimic a goal-line situation, as well as the other scrimmage situations where Mason Rudolph, Skylar Thompson and rookie Will Howard took all the snaps.
Tomlin told SN the biggest reason for this was to not drain opportunities that will be more useful to Howard, who’s been an NFL quarterback for closer to 21 minutes than 21 years.
Although studying the Arthur Smith playbook is a project he only has begun to address, Rodgers obviously had spent a fair amount of time exploring subjects to help him connect to the city. He spoke of how Pittsburgh built the “structure of the country” in its days as the steel capital. Asked what it would mean to him if he were able to lead the Steelers to the Super Bowl title, he responded with, “It would mean the seventh championship for the city, right?”
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He mentioned a number of past coaches, starting with Mike McCarthy from the Packers from the nearby Greenfield neighborhood of the city and citing a half-dozen Western PA natives before concluding with, “I’ve had a lot of Yinzers in my life.”
If Mayor Ed Gainey – who visited the Steelers facility before practice began – hadn’t already lost his primary election, he would have no shot running against this version of Rodgers.
“There’s a few iconic franchises in the NFL. I played for one of them for 18 years,” Rodgers said, correctly assessing he need not mention the Packers. “This is another one of those. There’s something special about this area. So many great quarterbacks are from Pittsburgh. It feels like Pittsburgh has been a part of my career from the beginning, playing for Mike McCarthy for 13 years, having Tom Clements as my quarterback coach forever.”
He did not mention the Steelers were the victim in his only Super Bowl victory.
How well he’ll read defenses with 41-year-old eyes is to be determined, but he definitely read the room.
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