There’s a strong buzz in the air as speculation continues about why Aaron Rodgers hasn’t inked a deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers yet. It turns out, Rodgers might still be eyeing a spot with the Minnesota Vikings, hoping they’ll take the plunge for a big push in the 2025 season. Just a few weeks back, the word was that the Vikings were gearing up to boost their lineup with J.J. McCarthy, their 2024 first-round quarterback pick. However, it seems they haven’t entirely closed the book on other possibilities.
Should McCarthy hit a rough patch, there’s still a slim chance the Vikings might reconsider their options. Ian Rapoport gives us a glimpse into the likelihood of such a shift happening, suggesting it’s not imminent by any means.
“I’ve pondered what exactly would need to occur for the Vikings to pivot and say, ‘Alright, let’s sign Aaron Rodgers.’ Imagine if Rodgers decides to hold out — though I doubt it — until the Vikings come knocking. They would need to reach a point in training camp where they realize J.J. isn’t meeting expectations and they require a seasoned pro,” Rapoport noted on The Pat McAfee Show last Friday. “But Rodgers isn’t going to hang around for that long.”
From the Steelers’ end, the patience seems just as thin. Coach Mike Tomlin appears relaxed when it comes to set deadlines, hinting only that training camp marks a loose deadline. Art Rooney II, the team president, is a tad stricter, stating they’d wait a little beyond camp, but not indefinitely. In their book, waiting until camp is under full swing could be as good as waiting forever.
The Steelers place tremendous value on their setup and strategy sessions during training camp, so the chances of them delaying any longer seem slim to none. If Rodgers finds himself waiting all the way into July without a definite nod from the Vikings, the Steelers would likely have turned the page by then. That would leave Rodgers high and dry, making it risky if he’s dead-set on playing in the 2025 season.
Given these dynamics, it feels almost certain that Aaron Rodgers will be joining the Steelers before too long. Could the announcement drop during McAfee’s Big Night AHT next week? Probably not. But before the draft? That seems much more likely to happen.
