Let’s set the stage: the New Orleans Saints need a veteran quarterback. This team was caught off guard when Derek Carr suddenly retired, leaving a big hole at quarterback. Right now, they’re stuck with young, untested guys like Tyler Shough and Spencer Rattler. With so much inexperience in the room, they’re clearly hunting for a seasoned QB to take charge. Interestingly, even though Cameron Jordan once shared a college locker room with Aaron Rodgers at Cal, he revealed he didn’t try to pull any strings to bring him to New Orleans. But why?

Aaron Rodgers had already shut the door, signing with the Steelers now. On the other hand, Cam, ever the real one, wasn’t going to beg on the first hand. Saints’ defensive end unraveled the offseason saga of Rodgers’ free agency, giving glimpses into why he never reached out to Rodgers, following Derek Carr’s sudden retirement. And guess what? He blames Pat McAfee for it. Wait….what?

On Up & Adams Show, host Kay Adams teed him up. She asked whether Jordan approached Aaron Rodgers after Carr retired. “No, no, no. None at all. Zero. Zilch,” Jordan said with absolute certainty. He revealed that he was always sure regarding not signing the QB. So, Cam didn’t text, didn’t call, didn’t even test the waters. Not because he didn’t respect Rodgers, but because Rodgers had already made it clear. “The first thing I heard from him was like, ‘Hey, yeah, the Saints are not an option.’ I was like, oh… well… guess I won’t be texting my guy. Wish him well.” But the real twist came afterwards!

The show later posted the clip on Instagram, with the caption, “Cam Jordan explains why he never tried to recruit Aaron Rodgers to the Saints. 👀” And, that’s when Cam came in the comment section to drop the truth bomb: “It hurt, but hey @aaronrodgers12 one of the greatest of all times. I blame Pat,” in a lighthearted manner. Yes, it is the same Pat McAfee, Aaron Rodgers’ close friend and the host of The Pat McAfee Show, who shared some offseason insights about the QB.

We all know that Rodgers trusts McAfee quite deeply, and their friendship and on-air chemistry are well-known to fans. So, Jordan believes that McAfee may have played a role in shaping Rodgers’ offseason priorities. After all, his show was the first one to reveal what A-Rod wants from the league and his offseason priorities.

In the interview, Cam later explained his thought process for the quarterback. “He [Aaron Rodgers] normally has his offseason process the last couple of years, until he comes out and says something like, ‘Hey, I want to play football again,’ or ‘Hey, I’m out of my three-day something in a dark cave retreat,’ then I say nothing.” So, words were already afloat that Saints was not an option for him. And Jordan felt the sting of rejection, as the QB wanted his time off the field. But yeah, Jordan respects Rodgers through and through, so there is no hint of animosity.

Nevertheless, Rodgers has finally signed up with the Pittsburgh Steelers after his brief, injury-ridden stint with the New York Jets. The new team offered Rodgers a one-year, $13.65 million deal. Yeah, that’s true that for a QB of his caliber, the financial push was quite low. But this also proves that Rodgers wanted control, a team where he can prove, and not cash. On the other hand, the Steelers are playing a short-term gamble on a legend who could possibly stabilize their offense. But what about the Saints? They are still in a QB limbo.

After Aaron Rodgers’ unavailability, the Saints’ QB room is in flux

The Saints remain in quarterback uncertainty following Derek Carr’s exit. The 2025 QB room includes Tyler Shough (rookie), Spencer Rattler, Jake Haener, and Hunter Dekkers. All of them are developmental prospects, and the Saints are expected to rotate them through first-team reps during OTAs and training camp. So, this means there is no clear favorite yet. As per the new report, Aaron Rodgers was never Plan A for Cam Jordan despite both being Cal alums. But what’s next?

The Saints want to build from within. Amid this, Jordan took steps to help his team. He has restructured his deal, dropping his cap hit from $20 million to nearly $9.8 million. Not only this, he has adjusted his base salary to around $6 million, with another $4 million in incentives. This helped the Saints have salary cap flexibility. And now, as the team has already added the offensive coordinator, Kellen Moore, New Orleans is edging towards a youth-centric, flexible offense. So, they are looking for a slow-burn rebuild of the team.

For now, the Saints’ QB battle is officially on, and it’s getting real. Both Tyler Shough and Spencer Rattler have shown flashes during OTAs, but they’re different beasts. Statistically, they’re neck and neck. Rattler went 24-of-28 with 3 TDs, no picks. Shough? 23-of-28, 3 TDs, one interception. Still, numbers don’t tell the whole story.

In OTA practices, Rattler’s been confident, sharp, attacking the middle like a veteran. Meanwhile, Shough has played it safer, but when he unleashes that rocket arm, especially with weapons like Chris Olave, Rashid Shaheed, and Brandin Cooks, it’s hard to look away. The kid has pure upside. With minicamp around the corner, this battle is only getting more intense. It’s anyone’s game right now, and the fire’s just been lit!