The Pittsburgh Steelers are stuck between a rock and a hard place at quarterback.
Their incumbent options aren't great. The upcoming draft class isn't great either. And, well, free agent options are limited. It's hard to imagine the Steelers coming into next season with a quarterback they feel great about.
At this point, Justin Fields is probably the closest Pittsburgh fans can get to some sort of satisfaction. At least he's young, athletic, and proven to work competently in Arthur Smith's scheme.
Bringing Russell Wilson back seems out of the question, while the only free agent with any sort of long-term appeal is Sam Darnold. He's bound to cost an arm and a leg, and I'd be highly skeptical of plugging him into the Steelers' offense. Whereas Minnesota empowered Darnold's strengths and mitigated weaknesses, Pittsburgh's scheme might do the exact opposite.
That said, there is another free agent alternative lurking in the shadows — an option most Steelers fans would prefer to not even acknowledge, as if turning a blind eye simply makes it not real. There is, of course, Aaron Rodgers, freshly released from New York Jets purgatory and presumably looking for another contending franchise to ̶b̶r̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶h̶e̶e̶l̶ win games with.
Mike Tomlin values experience, of which Rodgers has plenty. The four-time MVP also has a somewhat religious following among the WR community. Steelers pass-catcher George Pickens is no exception.
When asked about a future teammate one of George Picken’s answer was Aaron Rodgers. 🤔 pic.twitter.com/NVhYZhUeKl
— Portersburgh (@PortersBurgh) February 18, 2025
George Pickens not-so-subtly endorses Aaron Rodgers as next Steelers QB
Pickens has been a real presence on social media since arriving in Pittsburgh, often not for the best reasons. He has a habit of creating waves in the locker room, which this comment may very well do. If the Steelers run it back with Fields (or, god forbid, Wilson), Pickens naming his dream teammate as their direct competition might go over like a lead balloon.
The general sentiment is completely understandable. Pickens is speaking in all-time terms and Rodgers ranks among the very best QBs in NFL history. In his prime, there wasn't a better quarterback for a wide receiver to line up next to. Rodgers' blend of creativity, arm talent, and touch was off the charts.
Present-day Aaron Rodgers is a bit more mortal. He can't move around the pocket as effectively and some of those classic deep strikes are hanging in the air just a bit too long. Still, he finished last season with 3,897 yards and 28 touchdowns for the Jets, which are perfectly respectable numbers for most of the league's quarterbacks. Rodgers, obviously, is held to a much higher standard.
It's not unreasonable to contend that Rodgers is better than Russ or Fields right now. He's also 41, though, and brings a world of headaches off the field, something the Steelers certainly don't need more of. Rodgers' baggage feels too heavy to justify the investment at this point. He's still good, but not that good, and the Steelers wouldn't benefit from the distraction.
That said, just on the strength of his résumé, it feels like Rodgers can still convince a team to take a flier. To sign up for one final rodeo. With a stark lack of truly appealing options, the Steelers could sign Rodgers as a bridge quarterback and look for a more sustainable option next summer, in a better draft, or with a better free agent pool. If nobody else, that outcome would probably excite Pickens.