Mike Tomlin and the Steelers have plenty of questions to answer about the current campaign, as they’ve lost three games in a row heading into their Week 18 game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Pittsburgh will likely be a Wild Card team barring a loss by the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday, which means a road playoff game. It’s a less-than-ideal outcome for a team which held a two-game AFC North lead just a few weeks ago.
While Tomlin surely is focused on the present version of the Steelers, Omar Khan and the front office has one eye on the future. Russell Wilson’s contract is set to expire at the end of the season. Wilson was a bargain buy for the Steelers this season, as the Broncos owed him the vast majority of his remaining contract following an unceremonious exit. That won’t be the case in 2025 and beyond.
Early projections suggest Wilson could look for a deal similar to Baker Mayfield’s – three years and $100 million – which the Steelers could be uncomfortable paying depending on how the 2024-25 season ends. As far as possible replacements go, Justin Fields has been floated, as well as several draft prospects. The Steelers spend more on their defense than any team in the NFL. If they hope to keep all of their assets in place long term, spending $100 million on a quarterback isn’t in the cards.
Could the Pittsburgh Steelers take a chance on Aaron Rodgers? Not so fast
Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk recently floated Aaron Rodgers as a plausible short-term bridge QB Pittsburgh could consider. On first look, Florio’s take is spicy and unlikely. Rodgers’ falling out with the Jets has been well-documented, and despite a strong end to the campaign, there’s no guarantee he’d play up to Wilson’s standard with another year of tread on his tires.
The argument in favor of Rodgers has everything to do with Tomlin, as the mutual respect between the two goes way back. Tomlin and Rodgers frequently interact on the field whenever these two teams play, including these viral interactions from 2021 and 2024. Rodgers opened up about his relationship with Tomlin on the Pat McAfee show a few months back, as well.
“There’s only one Mike Tomlin, fist and foremost, and you have to give Mike credit. He’s got the special sauce,” Rodgers said. “He seems to understand how to motivate his guys every single year. For him to not have a losing season is absolutely ridiculous. … I’ve always respected Mike from afar and I think he’s done one hell of a job in Pittsburgh,” Rodgers said at the time.
Now, this alone is not enough for the Steelers to roll the dice on Rodgers. He will not be their Plan A or B – or at least he shouldn’t be – at the beginning of the offseason. Yet, should they lose Wilson and exhaust other affordable options, they could do a lot worse than a one-year flyer on Rodgers.
