Aaron Rodgers’ relationship together with his new Steelers group had been rising behind the scenes for a while.
When exploring the offseason dynamic between the ex-Jets quarterback and Pittsburgh brass in a brand new Sports activities Illustrated piece revealed Monday, NFL insider Albert Breer defined how the Steelers by no means felt Rodgers, 41, would get chilly ft earlier than each events made their one-year pact official Saturday with a $13.65 million deal.
“There weren’t often scheduled check-ins, however Rodgers would name Tomlin and Smith each on occasion, which colours why the Steelers had been by no means actually involved that Rodgers would again out on them,” Breer wrote.
Rodgers, coming off two unremarkable seasons with the Jets, had been focused by the Steelers for a lot of the offseason.
The four-time league MVP’s identify was initially floated when Pittsburgh “went via preliminary end-of-season evaluations,” in accordance with Breer, with the Steelers seeking to transfer on from Russell Wilson, who began for a lot of the 10-7 season as Justin Fields served because the backup.
Though Pittsburgh hoped to maintain Fields, the previous Bears first-round choose agreed to a two-year, $40 million cope with the Jets as free company started.
Because the quarterback dominoes continued to fall, Rodgers remained on the board, even after he visited the Steelers’ facility in March.
With the 2025 NFL Draft coming into view weeks later, hypothesis mounted as as to whether Pittsburgh would take a quarterback early, a la Shedeur Sanders, or wait it out with Rodgers, who put soccer choices on maintain with somebody near him battling most cancers.
The Steelers, specifically group president Artwork Rooney II, expressed in Might that the group was keen to attend “a short while longer” for Rodgers, with the prolonged saga coming to a detailed final week.
“Formally official,” the Steelers’ Instagram account posted Saturday, sharing a photograph of Rodgers sporting a curious band on his left ring finger as he put pen to paper.
Rodgers signed days earlier than the Steelers report back to necessary minicamp, which begins Tuesday.
The quarterback appeared in 17 video games for the Jets final season, throwing 28 touchdowns towards 11 interceptions.
Rodgers will face his former Jets group in Week 1 when the Steelers go to MetLife Stadium.
