Despite a disastrous two years with the New York Jets, veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers reportedly isn’t ready to call it a career just yet.
Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reported on Thursday that Rodgers told the Pittsburgh Steelers he will fly in to sign his contract on Friday before next week’s minicamp. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported it will be a one-year contract.
Rodgers had met with the team on March 21 in a visit that Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin described as “a really productive day,” but it took quite some time for the two sides to reach an agreement.
The Jets chose to release Rodgers earlier this offseason with a post-June 1 designation, which will result in a $14 million dead money hit. He had met with the new Jets regime led by head coach Aaron Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey and was informed of the team’s desire to move in a new direction.
“It was important to have this discussion now to provide clarity and enable each of us the proper time to plan for our respective futures,” Glenn said in a statement. “We want to thank him for the leadership, passion, and dedication he brought to the organization and wish him success moving forward.”
Rodgers later criticized Glenn’s approach when they spoke, saying he “felt there wasn’t an ample amount of respect in that meeting.” He will get the chance to prove that Glenn was wrong to let him go, as the Steelers will face the Jets at MetLife Stadium in Week 1 of the 2025 season.
Pittsburgh quarterbacks Russell Wilson and Justin Fields both became free agents after the 2024 campaign, and the team pivoted by adding Rodgers and acquiring star receiver DK Metcalf from the Seattle Seahawks. The Steelers used a sixth-round pick in the 2025 draft to select Ohio State quarterback Will Howard while waiting for Rodgers’ decision. Fields signed with the Jets and will be Rodgers’ replacement, while Wilson signed with the New York Giants.
Rodgers was traded to the Jets prior to the 2023 season following an 18-year run with the Green Bay Packers. Unfortunately, a torn Achilles suffered just four plays into his first game in a New York uniform cost him the rest of the 2023 campaign, and he wasn’t the same in his return to the field this past season.
The Jets finished with a 5-12 record on their way to missing the playoffs for the 14th straight year, the longest active streak in the NFL, NBA, NHL or MLB. Rodgers showed brief flashes of his usual form but performed well below expectations on his way to finishing with 3,897 yards, 28 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
In addition to Rodgers’ struggles, New York dealt with tumult off the field, as head coach Robert Saleh was fired following the team’s 2-3 start and replaced by defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich. General manager Joe Douglas was also fired before the end of the year despite already being on an expiring contract. The team went 3-9 under Ulbrich.
The Jets also traded for star wide receiver Davante Adams from the Las Vegas Raiders to reunite him with Rodgers, but their revived partnership didn’t make much of a difference. Adams finished with 67 catches for 854 yards and seven touchdowns in 11 games in New York, and he was also released by the Jets this offseason before signing with the Los Angeles Rams.
Now, Rodgers will turn his attention toward making more of an impact with the Steelers so he can end his legendary career on a high note.
