Jets Country

Aaron Rodgers-Steelers Deal Tabbed 'Riskiest Move Of Offseason'

Aaron Rodgers was cut by the Jets and signed with the Steelers in a dramatic turn of events.
Zach Pressnell|
Jun 10, 2025; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) looks over his helmet during minicamp at their South Side facility. Mandatory Credit: Philip G. Pavely-Imagn Images
Jun 10, 2025; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) looks over his helmet during minicamp at their South Side facility. Mandatory Credit: Philip G. Pavely-Imagn Images | Philip G. Pavely-Imagn Images

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New York JetsPittsburgh Steelers

The New York Jets took quite a leap when they opted to cut veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers, replacing him with the much younger Justin Fields.

A few months later, Rodgers would sign with the Pittsburgh Steelers as the last solid quarterback off the board in free agency. This seems like a dream pairing, especially given the circumstances.

Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox recently suggested the Rodgers to Pittsburgh move was one of the riskiest moves of the entire NFL offseason.

"Once the Steelers did that, they took a big risk by targeting Rodgers and waiting until right before minicamp to sign him," Knox wrote. "This is because the pairing is now one of the NFL's biggest storylines and will remain so throughout the season.

"In what could be a make-or-break season for the Steelers—who haven't won a playoff game since their 2016 campaign—that could become problematic. Had the Steelers drafted a rookie highly or gone with Mason Rudolph and sixth-round pick Will Howard at quarterback, expectations would be tempered. With Rodgers, a first-ballot Hall of Famer, anything short of a deep playoff run might be viewed as a failure."

Listing this as a risky decision for the Steelers doesn't make much sense.

The Steelers actively tried to re-sign Fields while also looking into other options at quarterback. They drafted Will Howard late in the NFL Draft, too. While Howard might not be a franchise signal caller, there were very few solid quarterbacks in the draft.

Ultimately, the Steelers got their guy, and they got him for cheap. If Rodgers fails this season, the Steelers will be able to draft a quarterback in 2026. But if he succeeds, Pittsburgh will look like geniuses.

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Zach Pressnell
ZACH PRESSNELL

Zach Pressnell has experience covering all major US sports at both the professional and collegiate levels. He’s produced content for FanSided, Blog Red Machine, The Game Haus, Bethany College Athletics and the Bethany College online newspaper, He graduated from Bethany College (WV) with a degree in Communications and Media Arts, specializing in Sports Journalism. Pressnell was also a four-year member of the baseball team where he earned himself All-PAC recognition as a pitcher (and a cool Tommy John surgery scar). Now, Pressnell specializes in NFL and MLB coverage for Sports Illustrated’s “On SI” network among others. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding "New York Jets On SI," please reach out to Scott Neville: scott@wtfsports.org

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