And just like that, things have become significantly more interesting in the preseason opener. In what appeared to be a slow news period in the NFL, Aaron Rodgers let it be known that he will at last be signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Coincidentally, they'll be the team the Jacksonville Jaguars will face in Week 1 of the preseason.
Sure, Jags fans were going to tune in to watch Travis Hunter's pro debut and Trevor Lawrence come back from a shoulder injury. But they now have another reason.
Because Rodgers loves attention, he waited when things were quiet to announce that he'll be flying to Pittsburgh to sign with the Steelers. Insider Tom Pelissero of NFL Media was the first to break the news, and other outlets later confirmed the report.
Rodgers is coming off a two-year stint with the New York Jets, one that he'd surely like to forget. After all, he suffered an ACL tear that forced him to miss the 2023 season just a few snaps into the opener. The former league MVP returned last year but wasn't particularly great. Granted, he wasn't the Gang Green's biggest issue, but he was the solution either, so the new regime wasted no time getting rid of him nearly as soon as it took over.
Now, Rodgers will give the Steelers a much-needed boost behind center. He probably won't stop their revolving door at quarterback, but will give them short-term relief. And that's the thing: Since Ben Roethlisberger retired, Pittsburgh has gone through Mason Rudolph, Kenny Pickett, Mitch Trubisky, Justin Fields, and Russell Wilson. The 10-time Pro Bowl nod should be an upgrade over all of them, even if he doesn't have much football left in him.
It will also be interesting to see whether Mike Tomlin will be able to put up with Rodgers in the upcoming month. The Super Bowl-winning head coach has the capability to deal with all kinds of divas while getting the most out of them. The 2005 first-round pick certainly fits the description. Known for his football heroics early in his NFL career, Rodgers has gotten the spotlight for other his off-field endeavors in recent years.
By the time the Jags play the Steelers, we'll have an idea of how the Tomlin/Rodgers marriage is playing out.
Aaron Rodgers may play just a few snaps vs. the Jaguars in the preseason
The downside of facing Aaron Rodgers in the preseason is that he'll only play a few snaps or a couple series at most. Given how much the Pittsburgh Steelers need him, they'll want to expose him as little as possible. But regardless of how much playing time he gets, every move and every comment he makes will be under scrutiny, so the Jacksonville Jaguars could end up controlling the narrative.
For instance, if the Jags manage to sack Rodgers or pick him off, chatter about him being washed will surge. On the other hand, his he leads the Steelers to a touchdown drive, there will be talks about how smart Pittsburgh was or how bad Jacksonville will be in 2025.
Of course, a few plays in the preseason don't define a team or play an outcome in its regular season record. Either way, the Jags would be off to a promising start if they can put together a strong showing against Aaron Rodgers in the season opener.