Pittsburgh Steelers fans, you can officially start planning for the 2025 NFL season. The team unveiled its schedule on Wednesday, and now we can see just when the Steelers are playing on prime time, when they’re facing off against the AFC North, and who they’re facing in Dublin, Ireland (the Minnesota Vikings). But what we don’t know is who will be the team’s starting quarterback in Week 1 versus the New York Jets and former Steelers QB Justin Fields. Will it be Mason Rudolph? Or will it be Aaron Rodgers?
Well, one high-profile announcer is hoping that it will be Rodgers. Play-by-play man Jim Nantz calls all the biggest NFL games for CBS. And he joined the NFL Schedule Release Show on NFL Network on Wednesday from Quail Hollow Club, home of the 2025 PGA Championship, to discuss the upcoming NFL season. And he made a joking plea to Rodgers to sign with the Steelers.
“I don’t know if you’re watching, Aaron Rodgers, I hope you are,” Nantz said per an X/Twitter post by Awful Announcing. “But I want you to know that I’m passing the hat here at Quail Hollow and we’re taking up a collection. We want to see you in the Steel City this season. We’re willing to contribute somewhere, I think we can get up to close to seven figures, as a feel-good sign of appreciation. Just to kick in a little incentive for you to be in Pittsburgh this year. We need the Steelers to be good, they need you.”
“I want you to know that I’m passing the hat here at Quail Hollow…We want to see you in the Steel City this season. And we’re willing to contribute, I think we can up close to 7 figures.”
Jim Nantz makes his pitch for Aaron Rodgers to sign with the Steelers. pic.twitter.com/IsyLyHyNd2
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) May 15, 2025
Obviously, the collection is in jest by Nantz. Money is not the issue in the Aaron Rodgers saga. When he made an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show back last month, he said he would play for $10 million. The holdup is whatever is going on in his personal life.
However, that puts the networks in a tough spot. People will tune in to watch football games regardless of who the quarterback is. But the networks want the best matchups, the juiciest storylines, and great football. Nantz is making this proclamation on NFL Network because he wants his job to be as exciting as possible. And the best way for that to happen is for teams to play good football with intriguing stories.
If the Steelers are good with Mason Rudolph, that’s interesting. If the Steelers are good with Aaron Rodgers, that’s a ratings bonanza. There’s the matchup with the Green Bay Packers on Sunday Night Football in Week 8. There’s the revenge game against the Jets right out of the gate in Week 1. And there are three AFC North games in the final five weeks of the season.
So, people like Nantz certainly want Aaron Rodgers to be in Pittsburgh. The stories write themselves. But the next question is, will he be any good with the Steelers if he signs with them? It wasn’t like he had a stellar 2024 with the Jets. Now, he was only a year removed from tearing his Achilles. He completed 63 percent of his passes while throwing for 3,897 yards and 28 touchdowns to 11 interceptions. But the Jets were terrible last year and full of issues.
But Nantz thinks Rodgers will be good in Pittsburgh.
“I saw you play last year,” Nantz said. “The numbers were really good, a lot better than people gave you credit for. And I know you can still play. I know you can still play. And you get doubled up with Mike Tomlin, and T.J. Watt on that defense, and I think it’ll be a great thing. Let’s get this done. I’m just making a personal appeal: We want you, we need you, and we look forward to seeing you.”
Jim Nantz wants the Steelers to be good with Aaron Rodgers because it’s good for the broadcast. No one can fault him for thinking that way. But the reality is that Rodgers will turn 42 during the upcoming season. And the Steelers have question marks on their offensive line. Namely, will Broderick Jones play better at his natural position of left tackle, and will Troy Fautanu be injury-free in his second NFL season? Rodgers isn’t the same nimble quarterback he used to be. He’ll need a stout offensive line to keep him safe in the pocket.
But the potential for a story-filled 2025 with Aaron Rodgers on the Steelers is certainly there. And Jim Nantz would love that.
