The Pittsburgh Steelers have not closed the door on bringing quarterback Aaron Rodgers back to the Steel City next season, according to a report.
The veteran, 42, was plunged into yet another NFL limbo on Monday when he and the Steelers were eliminated from the playoffs in the AFC Wild Card round by a crushing 30-6 defeat to the Houston Texans.
The signal caller only signed a one-year contract with Pittsburgh last June and, following the Steelers’ exit earlier this week, is now weighing up the crucial decision to retire or carry on playing once again.
Yet, despite Rodgers’ NFL future cast in doubt, the Steelers are said to be optimistic that they can bring him back for what would be his 22nd season in the league, according to ESPN.
Multiple Steelers stars are said to have expressed their desire to share the locker room with the former Super Bowl champion during their season-ending exit interviews with various members of the organization this week.
Almost all players reportedly gushed over the four-time MVP as they called for the franchise to reunite with him next season.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have not closed the door on bringing quarterback Aaron Rodgers back
The veteran is facing yet another NFL limbo after he and the Steelers were eliminated Monday
For his part, Rodgers did not provide any clear signals either way during his own exit interview. He reportedly did not commit to retiring or returning as he plans to take time away to mull over his decision.
However, the Steelers could find a big obstacle in their way. Rodgers is believed to have been a big fan of Mike Tomlin and the head coach’s resignation on Tuesday could mean it is unlikely that the quarterback could be persuaded to return.
Steelers team president Art Rooney II admitted this week that Tomlin’s exit does damage the organization’s chances of keeping Rodgers under center.
The team could receive a boost in their quest to bring Rodgers back but it hinges on their hunt for a new head coach.
The Steelers are expected to speak with Mike McCarthy, Rodgers’ former head coach with the Green Bay Packers, about their vacancy, according to ESPN.
The Steelers could be in for yet another drawn-out wait as they anticipate the veteran’s next move with a source close to him revealing to the Daily Mail that Rodgers won’t be rushing into a decision any time soon.
Last year, Rodgers had agonized over his NFL future for months after being released by the Jets in March.
His drawn-out NFL limbo was finally ended in June by his brief deal with the Steelers, who had patiently waited for his decision amid a turbulent time in Rodgers’ personal life.
Mike Tomlin has stepped down as head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers after 19 years
Rodgers spoke glowingly of the coach in the immediate aftermath of their playoff exit
Rodgers had revealed that tragedy in his personal life, with multiple members of his inner circle said to be battling cancer, had forced him to put his decision on hold.
Meanwhile, he also tied the knot with his mystery wife, reporting to Steelers’ camp with a wedding band on his finger.
Rodgers first revealed in June that he had been married for ‘a couple of months’, placing the wedding in around March or April.
But he was scant on details, saying at the time that it had ‘been a couple of months’ since he tied the knot.
He declined to name who he married, although he said in a December 2024 episode of the Pat McAfee Show that he was dating someone named Brittani, who was a ‘private person,’ at the time.
Rodgers has never been seen in public with his wife, who remains one of the league’s biggest mysteries with even his teammates and their partners describing her as a ‘phantom.’
Yet, as he heads into another NFL offseason with his future in limbo, family could now play a major factor in his decision to return for a 22nd season.
An insider also confirmed to The Daily Mail that Tomlin would also play a major role in his decision.
‘Aaron still wants to be a dad, but still wants to play,’ the source revealed to the Daily Mail. ‘But it won’t be for the Steelers now that Mike Tomlin is gone.’