Last summer, Aaron Rodgers was soaking up the Egyptian sun while his Jets teammates sweated through minicamp drills. The trip, a bucket-list adventure planned during his Achilles rehab, clashed with the team’s schedule, leading to an “unexcused” absence and a hefty fine. Rodgers downplayed the incident, likening minicamp to glorified OTAs, but the media frenzy and internal team tensions suggested otherwise. It was a moment that left fans and pundits questioning his commitment.

Fast forward to this year, and the minicamp narrative takes a surprising twist. Instead of controversy, there’s anticipation—not in New York, but in Pittsburgh. The Steelers, having navigated their own quarterback uncertainties, now find themselves at the center of attention. As minicamp approaches, the buzz isn’t about absences but arrivals, signaling a potential new chapter for both Rodgers and the Steelers.

On Thursday, it was reported that the four-time MVP informed Mike Tomlin and Co. that he will fly to the Steel City and will sign a deal with ’em ahead of the mandatory minicamp next week. Yup, you read that right. Loud and clear. After months of speculation of a potential deal and verbal agreements, Rodgers is reportedly set to sign a deal with the Steelers.

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac and NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero broke the news on their social media handle. The most thrilling news of the 2025 offseason? You can say that. And that means only one thing: the 41-year-old quarterback will play his 21st season in black and gold, under the leadership of Mike Tomlin. As per the reports, Rodgers will fly to Pittsburgh this Friday and will join the team during the mandatory mini-camp.

The Steelers had been in pursuit of Rodgers ever since Justin Fields packed his bags and left for New York, and Rodgers’ other options (the Giants and the Vikings) went in different directions. The future Hall of Famer organized a meeting with the team back in March, and for a moment, it seemed like the deal was at the table and Rodgers just needed to put pen to paper. But nope. The deal didn’t come.

Amidst all this, the rumor mill started buzzing that the veteran quarterback is considering retirement as he was focusing on his personal life. “I’m open to anything and attached to nothing. Retirement could still be a possibility, but right now my focus has been — and will continue to be — on my personal life,” Rodgers said on the Pat McAfee Show.

“And that’s what I’ve told the coaches. There’s still conversations that are being had. It’s all been very honest lines of communication,” But the Steelers remained optimistic, and it felt like a matter of time before Aaron Rodgers joined the team.

With Aaron Rodgers reportedly in town, how does the Steelers’ QB room look?

Frustration’s been simmering in the Steel City for a while now. Ever since Big Ben called it a career, the Steelers haven’t found their next true franchise quarterback. Mike Tomlin? Still hasn’t won a playoff game since before the Trump administration. And every offseason feels like déjà vu—another round of QB roulette. They’ve tried a few options, but heading into this year? They didn’t even have a clear starter.

To spice things up, the Steelers didn’t even draft a big-name quarterback in the NFL draft. Shedeur Sanders, Jaxson Dart, Tyler Shough, you name it. Everyone came and gone, but Pittsburgh didn’t make a move until the sixth round when they picked Will Howard. Why? Because they had a verbal agreement with Rodgers. Terry Bradshaw called this saga “a joke,” while Chris Canty called the culture in Pittsburgh “Fragile.” 

But now that the guy’s ready to join the Steelers, how does the Steelers’ QB room look? They’ve got the rookie, Howard, who will develop behind the vets, no doubt. They brought back their former QB, Mason Rudolph, at the beginning of free agency. And let’s face it—folks out there feared that Pittsburgh’s going to start with Rudolph, given that Rodgers wasn’t replying, and Mike Tomlin was confident with Mason.

But the way things are shaping up now, Rodgers is certainly going to start for the Steelers with Rudolph or maybe, just maybe—Howard serving as a backup QB. Long story short: 80 days since the start of the free agency and 70 days after Rodgers’ visit to the Steelers’ facility, the guy’s set to don black and gold. For one last ride—probably.

Now, if all goes well, Aaron Rodgers will face the Jets in week 1 of the 2025 regular season, as the Jets will host the Steelers in the season opener.