The buzz was electric at the PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh for Pat McAfee’s “Big Night AHT” live show. The event brought out heavy hitters like Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa to light up the stage for the crowd, while Pittsburgh sports royalty – former Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger, Penguins star Sidney Crosby and Pirates phenom Paul Skenes (yes, Olivia Dunne’s boyfriend and NL Rookie of the Year) – added a local flavor. The night ended with McAfee pulling a random fan from the stands to win a cool $2 million, a prize put together by Pittsburgh’s sports heroes in a wild game of tossing a football into a giant basket.
But the real tease? Aaron Rodgers was supposed to show up and drop a bombshell about his NFL future – would he keep throwing passes or hang up his cleats? But fans were left in the dark. McAfee had already hinted: “There will be some jaw-dropping moments tomorrow night at Big Night AHT, but Aaron Rodgers is not on the lineup. True to his word, the four-time MVP was a no-show, leaving the Steelers faithful wondering about his next move.
Steelers’ QB Puzzle: Rodgers or a New Face?
Last week, Steelers brass gave fans something to chew on. Head coach Mike Tomlin and owner Art Rooney II gushed about their meeting with Rodgers, with Rooney dropping a tantalizing line: “All signs are positive” that the QB could land in Pittsburgh. Still, the ink is not dry on any deal, and the plot thickened when Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders rolled into town for a top-30 visit.
Sanders even reposted a photo from the trip on Instagram, further stirring the pot. With the Steelers sitting at pick 21 in the upcoming NFL Draft (which begins April 24 at Lambeau Field), Sanders, who is likely to leave early, won’t just fall into their lap. A trade would be the only way to get him, but where does that leave Rodgers?
At 41, Rodgers is coming off a rough season-his worst stat line since 2008-and while he’s been spotted throwing passes to new Steelers wideout DK Metcalf, hinting at a Pittsburgh pit stop, his lackluster 2024 has some wondering if he still has the magic. Could he slide into a mentor role for Sanders instead? Since Big Ben rode off into the sunset in 2021, the Steelers haven’t been a real contender – Rodgers could be the spark they need, but will he sign before or after the draft shakes out?
High Stakes and Tough Calls
If the Steelers are dead set on Sanders as their quarterback of tomorrow, they’re going to have to wheel and deal their way up the draft board – a move that’s pretty uncharacteristic of this franchise. So what’s the bargaining chip? Whispers around town point to T.J. Watt, the 2021 Defensive Player of the Year who’s in the final year of his contract. Watt is worth a first-rounder, no question, and his recent Instagram post – waving, perhaps saying goodbye? – has fans on edge.
He’s in the same league as Myles Garrett, who makes $40 million, and Watt could demand a paycheck to match. Trading him would be a gut punch to Steelers Nation, but it could be the jolt needed to avoid another decade of middling football. Any team would salivate to land Watt-he’d be the crown jewel of this year’s draft haul if he’s on the block. The question is whether Pittsburgh pulls the trigger on Sanders or stands pat and rolls the dice elsewhere.
If the Sanders dream fizzles and Rodgers signs, the Steelers could still play smart with their 21st pick. Enter Jaxson Dart, the Ole Miss gunslinger who lit up his senior year with a 69.3% completion rate, 4,279 yards, 29 touchdowns and just six picks. Dart could sit behind Rodgers for a season, soaking up the veteran’s wisdom while keeping the cap sheet light. That rookie deal would give Pittsburgh room to patch up its shaky offensive line in 2026 and lock up wide receiver George Pickens with a hefty extension for the next few years.
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