Pittsburgh Steelers Hosting Shedeur Sanders Before NFL Draft: Aaron Rodgers Deal Dead?

Among NFL teams that envision themselves in the NFL playoffs next season, the Pittsburgh Steelers are in limbo.

Could they answer the question they have under center by drafting Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders?

According to multiple reports on Tuesday, Sanders is scheduled to visit with the Steelers later this week. Pittsburgh currently holds the No. 21 overall pick in the draft. Due to Sanders' status as a potential top pick, this visit sticks out, to say the least.

Shedeur Sanders Pro Day — Apr 4, 2025; Boulder, CO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) runs drills at the University of Colorado NFL Showcase at the CU Indoor Practice Facility. | Michael Ciaglo-Imagn Images

Since the start of the NFL pre-draft process, no top prospect has seen his stock rise and fall quite like Sanders. Some consider the Buffs quarterback worthy of the No. 1 overall pick, while others evaluate him as a second or third-round talent.

The New York Giants, who were considered the top suitors of Sanders entering the NFL offseason and have the No. 3 overall pick, signed two veteran quarterbacks this offseason, Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston.

These signings sparked speculation that Sanders would slide down the first round, as the Tennessee Titans (No. 1) appear to have their eyes on Miami Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward and the Cleveland Browns (No. 2) reportedly are targeting Colorado wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter or Penn State Nittany Lions defensive end Abdul Carter.

After the No. 3 pick, not many teams desperately need a quarterback until the Steelers. However, Pittsburgh has long been in talks to sign Super Bowl-winning quarterback Aaron Rodgers. While his situation looms, the visit with Sanders could include a scenario where both enter the conversation to start in 2025.

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NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport discussed the ramifications of the visit on Good Morning Football.

"By the Steelers bringing in Shedeur Sanders, they made two points," Rapoport said. "One, if Rodgers doesn't come to the Steelers, they're probably going to have to draft a quarterback somewhere. And the other part of this is, [Pittsburgh would say] 'Rodgers, if you tell us after the draft, we're going to have to protect ourselves,' so he's a little bit on the clock too, [the draft] is the deadline."

From @GMFB: Shedeur Sanders is set to visit the #Steelers. What does it mean for him and what does it mean for Aaron Rodgers? pic.twitter.com/XW38D5Klo5
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 9, 2025

Regardless of Rodgers's presence, Sanders would walk into an offense that has largely held the Steelers back since the retirement of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. Pittsburgh has one of the most decorated histories of any NFL franchise, but the team has not won a playoff game in nine years.

The Steelers have recent success under coach Mike Tomlin, making the playoffs in four of the last five seasons. However, many have pointed to a subpar offensive arsenal, quarterback play and archaic play-calling as the main reasons Pittsburgh went one-and-done in each of those berths.

Mike Tomlin Shedeur Sanders — Jan 11, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin looks in the third quarter against the Baltimore Ravens in an AFC wild card game at M&TBank Stadium. | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

The franchise made it a point to address these concerns in free agency, trading for wide receiver D.K. Metcalf from the Seattle Seahawks and signing the two-time Pro Bowler to a four-year, $132 million contract extension.

Sanders would also have intriguing young weapons to throw to in wide receiver George Pickens and tight end Pat Friermuth. Additionally, he'd be afforded a strong defense and run game behind him that he was not with Colorado, including two future Hall of Fame defensive linemen in T.J. Watt and Cameron Heyward.

If Sanders remains on the board at No. 21, his surrounding cast in Pittsburgh could bode better for his NFL future than many of the top-selecting teams. The quarterback would have one of the most revered coaches and feared defenses in the league, and with that support could help the Steelers shatter the glass ceiling that's hung over the franchise for nearly a decade.