Are the Steelers disappointed in the final outcome?
The Pittsburgh Steelers are all smiles after finally ending their courtship of four-time MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers, 41, officially inked his contract with Pittsburgh this past Saturday as he enters a new chapter with his third team (Packers, Jets).
However, Adam Schefter of ESPN says that Rodgers wasn’t Pittsburgh’s first choice.
“If the organization had their way, Rodgers wouldn’t be in Pittsburgh,” Schefter said on Get Up. “The Steelers QB would be Justin Fields or Matthew Stafford. Rodgers, at best, took the bronze medal.”
ESPN #NFL Insider @AdamSchefter revealed that Aaron Rodgers was the #Steelers ‘third choice’ at QB this offseason.
They preferred re-signing Justin Fields who signed with the #Jets & they explored a trade with the #Rams for Matthew Stafford.
After those pursuits failed, they… pic.twitter.com/21y87lSehO
— Paul Andrew Esden Jr (@BoyGreen25) June 6, 2025
These are strong words from the longtime insider, considering the Steelers didn’t exactly show a tremendous amount of urgency to bring back Fields, who ultimately agreed to a two-year deal with the Jets, worth $40 million, including $30 million guaranteed. This is a very matchable contract for a priority. Of course, there’s no guarantee that Fields would have accepted.
The pursuit of Stafford makes a bit more sense, considering he has less tread on the tires, and in my opinion, is better than Rodgers right now. But there’s a good chance the Steelers would have had to part with an early draft pick and lock up Stafford to a 100-million-dollar deal.
I’d disagree with the notion that the Steelers are disappointed in adding Rodgers. The Steelers will happily accept a bronze medal, especially considering they will pay Rodgers just $13.5 million this season, with $5 million in incentives on the table.