Aaron Rodgers is officially a Pittsburgh Steeler. After months of speculation, the four-time NFL MVP signed a one-year contract worth $13.6 million, with $10 million guaranteed and incentives that could push the total to $19.5 million.
The 41-year-old quarterback will wear No. 8 in Pittsburgh, the same number he donned during his stint with the New York Jets. Rodgers’ move to Pittsburgh marks the end of one of the most headline-grabbing offseason storylines.
After being released by the Jets in March, he visited with Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin and team leadership for six hours, setting the wheels in motion for his eventual signing.
With his experience and pedigree, Rodgers will lead a quarterback room that includes Mason Rudolph, sixth-round rookie Will Howard, and former Dolphins QB Skylar Thompson. Still, not everyone is convinced this signing will yield a winning season for Pittsburgh.
Rodgers may just be a bridge to Arch Manning
Sports analyst Skip Bayless offered a blunt assessment of Rodgers‘ potential impact, going so far as to say that his signing might only help Pittsburgh finish with a record bad enough to land the top quarterback in the 2026 NFL Draft-Arch Manning.
“In my reaction video I did the other day, when he signed, I talked about how Aaron is stealing from the Steelers,” Bayless said on The Skip Bayless Show.
“He mostly looked washed last year for the Jets. Lost his mobility, lost some arm strength, lost some release time, lost some heart and some guts for standing in and taking the hits you have to take to complete passes in this league.”
Despite this harsh take, Bayless acknowledged that the Steelers didn’t overpay for Rodgers. “I hurt for Steelers fans,” he added. “You want to talk about a cornerstone, highly respected franchise… until now.”
Bayless even floated the idea that Pittsburgh could be in line to win what he dubbed the “Arch Manning derby,” depending on how poorly their 2025 season plays out.
Arch Manning, the highly touted Texas Longhorns quarterback, is entering his sophomore season in 2025 and is widely projected to be a top pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
With Quinn Ewers now in the NFL, Manning steps into the spotlight with a chance to solidify his status as the next great quarterback from the legendary Manning family.
The 21-year-old son of Cooper Manning-and nephew of Peyton and Eli-has football pedigree in spades. Standing 6-foot-4 and weighing 225 pounds, Manning has already demonstrated considerable potential.
Last season, he completed 61 of 90 passes for 939 yards and nine touchdowns with only two interceptions. He also boasts a reported NIL valuation of $6.5 million, underlining his marketability and star power.
If the Steelers struggle despite Rodgers’ presence, the franchise could be positioned to make a run at Manning in next year’s draft.
Rodgers’ deal only runs through 2025, and with no long-term answer under center currently on the roster, the door remains open.
Should Manning impress this fall in Austin, and if Pittsburgh falters in a highly competitive AFC North, the team may find itself in the perfect spot to begin a new era-with a Manning at the helm.
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