One day after trading for a star wide receiver, the Pittsburgh Steelers may be closing in on a big-name quarterback as well.
As the Steelers continue talks with Russell Wilson and Justin Fields entering this week’s free agency period, Aaron Rodgers also has emerged as a quarterback option for Pittsburgh, league sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Rodgers and the Steelers are expected to talk, sources told Schefter, and explore a union between the four-time MVP and longtime coach Mike Tomlin.
Rodgers, 41, is set to be a free agent after the New York Jets announced last month that they would be moving on from the 10-time Pro Bowler after two disappointing seasons. Jets general manager Darren Mougey said last month that the Jets likely will designate Rodgers as a post-June 1 release.
Despite the Jets’ 5-12 finish in 2024, Rodgers passed for 3,897 yards and 28 touchdowns. He was 25th in QBR, 30th in completion percentage and 28th in yards per attempt among qualified passers, but could provide quarterback-needy teams like Pittsburgh with an established veteran.
Another potential quarterback solution for the Steelers would be re-signing Fields, who remains in talks with Pittsburgh and the Jets, sources told Schefter. New York cannot offer Fields a contract until noon ET Monday, so he will continue to mull his options and learn more about the Jets’ overall situation, sources told Schefter.
The Steelers went 10-7 last season despite inconsistent quarterback play from Wilson and Fields and a wide receiver room that lacked explosiveness and depth behind George Pickens. Pittsburgh solved the latter issue Sunday by reportedly agreeing to acquire star receiver DK Metcalf in a blockbuster trade with the Seattle Seahawks.
The Steelers and Metcalf also agreed to a five-year, $150 million deal that makes the two-time Pro Bowler one of the NFL’s highest-paid receivers. Pittsburgh now must determine who will be throwing the ball to Metcalf — and they have multiple options to sort through.
Wilson and Metcalf both starred together in Seattle, with Wilson serving as Metcalf’s quarterback for the first three seasons of his career. The 36-year-old Wilson passed for 2,482 yards and 16 touchdowns last season but struggled down the stretch for the Steelers, who lost their last four regular-season games before being eliminated in the AFC wild-card round of the playoffs.
Fields started Pittsburgh’s first six games last season while Wilson was sidelined with a calf injury, leading the Steelers to a 4-2 record over that stretch.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and Brooke Pryor contributed to this report.
