Five reasons why Steelers should consider signing Aaron Rodgers, Davante Adams for the 2025 season

Instead of asking why, there's a better question to ask regarding whether or not the Pittsburgh Steelers should consider signing Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams this offseason.  

Why not? 

As every Steelers fan knows, Pittsburgh has mishandled its quarterback position for years, dating back to Ben Roethlisberger's final seasons with the team. After giving Roethlisberger a shell of an offense in 2021 (and a first time NFL offensive coordinator), Pittsburgh never gave Mason Rudolph a legitimate chance to be Roethlisberger's successor, unnecessarily signed Mitch Trubisky in the 2022 offseason, essentially gave up on Kenny Pickett after just two years and are currently divided on whether or not to re-sign Russell Wilson or Justin Fields. 

The team's reported indecision on Wilson and Fields just shows that neither one did enough last year to convince enough of the team's brass that they can end the franchise's eight-year stretch without a playoff win in 2025, although Fields made a solid case for himself after leading Pittsburgh to a 4-2 start. If neither one did enough last year to convince the team that they're the guy moving forward, the Steelers should cut their losses and start over at the position once again. 

That brings us to Rodgers, who reportedly still wants to play after the Jets decided to part ways with him after just two seasons together. The Steelers also need to upgrade their receiving corps, which also leads us to Adams, who recently shared his admiration for Pittsburgh head coach Mike Tomlin. 

Steelers QB situation: Pittsburgh wants deal done with Russell Wilson or Justin Fields before free agency

Jordan Dajani

The cons of signing both players are obvious. Rodgers is 41 and is coming off one of the worst seasons of his career. Adams is also an older player (he'll turn 33 in December) and may still command a pretty lucrative contract assuming he and the Jets part ways this offseason. 

As you can see, there are clearly some risks associated with signing both players. There are also some positives that could come out of signing both players, too, along with the fact that the market is pretty bare when it comes to quarterbacks. With that in mind, here are five reasons why the Steelers should consider bringing both Rodgers and Adams to Pittsburgh. 

Both guys can still play 

Rodgers has said that a bad year for him is a career season for most other quarterbacks. He's largely right, as he was eighth in the NFL in passing yards and touchdown passes in a 2024 season that was considered a down year for the four-time league MVP. Rodgers also threw just 11 interceptions in 584 pass attempts. Two of those picks were courtesy of then-Steelers rookie cornerback Beanie Bisop Jr. during Pittsburgh's Week 7 win over the Jets. 

Rodgers had considerable success last year despite playing through injuries and behind an offensive line that struggled to protect him. Rodgers also played most of last year with an interim head coach and an interim offensive coordinator. One would think that Rodgers will play better this year if he's healthy, put in a more stable situation with a better supporting cast. Rodgers' mobility is basically non-existent, but he is still exceptional when it comes to reading defenses. He also hasn't lost his near peerless throwing touch. 

It's worth nothing that the 2024 season was Rodgers' first since he ruptured his Achilles in Week 1 of the 2023 season. Players who suffer an injury of that significance usually aren't back to being at the top of their game the following season. That's one reason to believe that Rodgers may still have some elite ball left in him. 

We don't need to spend much time here discussing Adams' ability. He's older, but Adams is still a very good receiver. With the Raiders in 2022, Adams led the NFL with 14 touchdown catches despite having less than stellar quarterback play. He caught 103 passes and eight touchdowns in similar circumstances in 2023 and caught 85 passes for 1,067 yards and eight touchdowns in 14 games last season. 

Historic partnership 

Any NFL fan knows that today's game is predicated on successful quarterback play, which is often aided by having a strong rapport with at least one receiver. The Steelers would have that with Rodgers and Adams. 

In their prime, the Rodgers-Adams partnership was near the level of the Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown. In fact, Rodgers' 83 touchdown passes to Adams is the third-most ever between a quarterback and a receiver; only Peyton Manning-Marvin Harrison (114 touchdowns) and Steve Young-Jerry Rice (92) had more touchdowns as a duo. 

Rodgers and Adams proved last year that they are still a formidable duo. During their last six games of the 2024 season, Rodgers and Adams connected 41 times for 576 yards and six touchdowns. During a two-week span, Adams caught 18 of 23 targets for 307 yards and three touchdowns. Adams was nearly unstoppable in the Jets' Week 15 win over the Jaguars, catching nine of 12 targets for 198 yards and two scores. 

Mentorship roles 

One of the drawbacks of signing Rodgers is that he is not a longterm solution. But this can be turned into a positive thing if the Steelers find their longterm quarterback with Rodgers temporarily filling that role. 

Prior to his breakup with the Jets, Rodgers said that he would "mentor the hell" out of a rookie quarterback if New York decided to draft his heir apparent. Rodgers served as a mentor in Green Bay for Jordan Love, who has publicly spoken about how that experience helped him once he got the opportunity to start. 

Rodgers won't get a chance to do that in New York, but he could get that opportunity in Pittsburgh if the Steelers sign him and use a draft pick on a quarterback, something they are expected to do. CBS Sports NFL Draft analyst Josh Edwards currently has the Steelers selecting former Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart with the 21st overall pick. 

"Pittsburgh will likely keep or make a move for a veteran," Edwards wrote, "but the reality is that the Steelers have to keep taking these swings at quarterback if they want to find a quarterback of the future. As a team perpetually stuck in that .500 range, the Steelers are never going to be high enough to take a bigger swing." 

Along with Rodgers, Adams would also be in a mentorship position in Pittsburgh. Adams would get a chance to work alongisde George Pickens, a talented receiver who has yet to reach his full potential. Adams could help Pickens at a crucial point in his career as Pickens is coming into the final year of his rookie contract. Adams' presence on the field would also help open things up for Pickens. 

Win now

Pittsburgh is very young on the offensive side of the ball, but they have several aging veterans on defense, specifically seven-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Cameron Heyward, seven-time Pro Bowl outside linebacker and former Defensive Player of the Year T.J. Watt and five-time Pro Bowl safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. This trio is running out of time, and they need a veteran quarterback in place that can help them get their first playoff win together. 

The defense's situation was probably one of the reasons why the Steelers signed Wilson last offseason. Wilson had his moments, but his weaknesses were exploited during Pittsburgh's five-game losing streak that ended with a decisive playoff loss to the Ravens. The Steelers had the right idea, but Wilson wasn't able to deliver late in the season (it also didn't help that Pittsburgh didn't land the top-tier veteran wideout as they had long planned to acquire). 

On paper, the 2025 Steelers' offense looks pretty formidable with Rodgers and Adams in tow. Here's what that unit would potentially look like when you include every player currently under contract. Included below was restricted free agent Jaylen Warren, a restricted free agent whose tender is expected to be picked up by the Steelers. Najee Harris isn't included, although the Steelers are reportedly interested in re-signing the soon-to-be free agent. 

This unit would have the potential to be the Steelers' best offense since 2020, the last time Pittsburgh captured the AFC North division crown. If nothing else, this unit should be good enough to support a defense that ultimately ran out of gas at the end of the 2024 season. 

The offensive line is a big reason for optimism. Zach Frazier and Mason McCormick immediately showed their potential last year after injuries forced them into the starting lineup. Brodeick Jones, a 2023 first-round pick, made 27 starts during his first two seasons while getting used to lining up at right tackle. Isaac Seumalo was named to his first Pro Bowl last year. Troy Fautanu, the team's 2024 first-round pick, expects to be ready for the start of OTAs after missing all of last year with an injury. 

Motivation factor 

Rodgers has historically played his best football when he is motivated to prove people wrong. That'll again be the case in 2024 after the Jets decided to go in a different direction. 

Rodgers was initially overlooked in high school as a talented but undersized player. Despite eventually having success at the prep level, Rodgers spent the 2002 season at Butte College, a local community college after he received virtually no interest from Division 1 schools. Rodgers shined during his one season at Butte and eventually later during his two seasons at California, but he still found himself waiting for hours on draft day before the Packers finally grabbed him with the 24th overall pick. 

In Green Bay, Rodgers waited for three years before he was given his chance to prove that he was a worthy successor to future Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre, something he proved once and for all after defeating the Steelers in the Super Bowl. 

In 2020, there were whispers of a possible decline after Rodgers didn't put up the best numbers during Matt LaFleur's first season as the Packers' head coach. Rodgers responded with two ridiculously good seasons that culminated in two league MVP trophies and one NFC Championship game appearance. 

Even last year was a small measure of triumph for Rodgers, who was determined to start every game for the Jets following last year's Achilles injury. Rodgers did, despite injuries and the implosion around him that was the 2024 Jets season. 

For a team that has underachieved in the playoffs, a future Hall of Fame quarterback that is highly motivated to finish his career on top sounds like a possible match made in heaven, or at least something the Steelers should consider making a reality.