The wait for quarterback Aaron Rodgers has continued for the Pittsburgh Steelers. There doesn’t appear to be an end to the wait in sight.
NFL insider Mike Florio shed some light on possibly why that’s the case with the NFL draft three weeks away.
“I had somebody suggest to me yesterday, and I’m just sharing what I heard, what this person’s opinion is. It’s not a fact. It’s not a report. But it’s somebody who is in the ecosystem and isn’t a low-level employee. This is a high-level person with one of the teams,” Florio said on the April 2 episode of his podcast.
“The opinion is he doesn’t really want to play for the Steelers, and he’s waiting for Minnesota.”
The Steelers and Minnesota Vikings have been floated as the two most likely landing spots for Rodgers this offseason. The New York Giants were also suggested as a possibility when free agency began.
The Giants, though, have signed Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston .
Pittsburgh is the only team that has reportedly made an offer to Rodgers. But according to Florio and others in the NFL media, the Vikings could still be a dark horse to sign the 41-year-old quarterback.
Vikings Still an Option for Aaron Rodgers?
Pundits and fans considered the Vikings out of the running for Rodgers when NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported on March 19 that the Vikings were not interested in Rodgers this spring.
“The Vikings rejected multiple trade calls on J.J. McCarthy, telling other teams they’re moving forward with him as their quarterback, sources say,” tweeted Pelissero .
“The team plans to add a veteran. But they’re not pursuing Aaron Rodgers at this time. McCarthy now enters the offseason as QB1.”
But in actuality, Pelissero didn’t completely rule out Minnesota as a Rodgers destination. Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah didn’t either while speaking to ESPN’s Kevin Seifert on March 26.
“For me to sit here and say anything is 100% forever, that’s just not the job,” said Mensah .
Steelers team president Art Rooney II told reporters at the league’s annual spring meeting that the signs point to Rodgers signing in Pittsburgh. In general, that’s how all insiders, including Florio , have framed the story of the last couple weeks.
But the signs pointing to Rodgers coming to Pittsburgh, and Florio’s suggestion the quarterback prefers to play in Minnesota can both be true.
Ben Roethlisberger Weighs in on Rodgers’ Free Agency
Florio treated the anonymous employee’s opinion that Rodgers is waiting on the Vikings as a new revelation. But it’s an opinion that was public before April 2.
The day prior, former Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger speculated that Rodgers prefers to play for the Vikings.
“The reason, in my opinion, that he hasn’t signed yet,” Roethlisberger said on his podcast episode on April 1 . “I think Aaron [Rodgers] is secretly still holding out for Minnesota. “Why else would you not? Why else would you go throw with DK and be working out and put it out?
“I just think he thinks that Minnesota is a more complete, closer team to win a Super Bowl, and he might not be wrong,” concluded Roethlisberger.
The Vikings went 14-3 with Sam Darnold behind center during the 2024 season. That, coupled with the Steelers’ disappointing end to 2024, and it’s not surprising Rodgers might consider Minnesota closer to winning the Super Bowl.
Roethlisberger (and Florio’s source) was speculating about the Vikings being Rodgers’ preference over the Steelers. Fans shouldn’t treat it as fact.
But it’s a logical explanation why Rodgers has yet to sign with the Steelers.
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