By the end of Tuesday, the Pittsburgh Steelers may know if Aaron Rodgers will be their quarterback in 2025. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport believes it’s possible Rodgers makes his decision by day’s end, deciding between the New York Giants and Steelers.
“I think it’s a possibility,” Rapoport said when asked for a Tuesday timeline during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show.
Of course, that also means it’s possible he doesn’t make a decision today. Pittsburgh is at Rodgers’ mercy on a timeline and decision. On paper, the Steelers are the more attractive destination. A quieter media market, a head coach he clearly respects, an offense that just added WR DK Metcalf.
But Rapoport outlined why Rodgers could pick the Giants.
“I’ve kind of gone back and forth,” he said. “Because if it’s the Giants, first of all, he doesn’t have to move. Second of all, it’s a team that’s added in free agency. They still got some weapons. They are a team that when they’ve had a good quarterback or even decent quarterback play, they’ve won.”
It’s a similar case as Rapoport’s colleague Mike Garafolo laid out earlier in the day, noting Rodgers and the Giants have had “great conversations.” Both teams need quarterback help. New York moved on from Daniel Jones and has little internally while Pittsburgh lost Justin Fields to the Jets and doesn’t seem interested in re-signing Russell Wilson.
Contract will matter, too. New York is more likely to provide an attractive structure with more guaranteed money. Determining Rodgers’ market and value is difficult. A weak market and limited options drive up his price tag even if Mike Florio’s “semi-educated guess” of $90 million over two years feels on the high end of things and was disputed by McAfee’s show.
Rapoport admitted he doesn’t know which way Rodgers is leaning right now, though other reporting suggests Pittsburgh is the favorite even if that’s outlets reading the tea leaves more so than actual sourcing.
The national media airspace remains consumed by everything Rodgers does. All eyes are on him, and it seems that’s the way he prefers it. With whom – and when – he decides to sign is entirely up to him.
