Pittsburgh
Aaron Rodgers is operating it again with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Two individuals with information of the determination instructed The Associated Press that the four-time NFL MVP agreed to a one-year deal to return to Pittsburgh on Saturday, ending a protracted decision-making course of. The individuals spoke to the AP on situation of anonymity as a result of the deal had not been introduced.
The 42-year-old Rodgers guided Pittsburgh to an AFC North title final 12 months, throwing for twenty-four touchdowns and 7 interceptions. He appeared to embrace taking part in for a staff whose soccer roots run deep, a lot as he did in Green Bay earlier in his profession, and now he’ll be a Steeler for his twenty second and maybe remaining season.
Rodgers reunites with former Packers coach Mike McCarthy, employed to lead the Steelers in January after Mike Tomlin stepped down following 19 seasons.
Rodgers and McCarthy spent 13 years collectively in Green Bay, the place Rodgers blossomed into considered one of the recreation’s largest stars after changing into the beginning quarterback in 2008. Green Bay received its fourth Super Bowl and Rodgers earned two of his 4 MVPs with McCarthy calling the performs.
The association will likely be a lot the identical with the Steelers, although each participant and coach are in several phases of their respective careers. This figures to be Rodgers’ final experience, and the 64-year-old McCarthy is nearly actually ending his teaching journey a few miles from the Greenfield neighborhood the place he grew up.
The Steelers made it clear they’d welcome Rodgers again, although a couple of synthetic deadlines — first the begin of free company in March, then the NFL draft final month in Pittsburgh — got here and went with Rodgers unsigned.
The membership made the considerably uncommon determination to place an unrestricted free agent tender on Rodgers, a paperwork transfer that gave the Steelers a little bit of safety ought to Rodgers have opted to signal with one other staff earlier than coaching camp opened in late July.
It’s unsure if a marketplace for Rodgers existed, not that it issues. A 12 months in the past, he waited till early June to be a part of the Steelers, then spent the subsequent seven-plus months embracing the expertise, incomes raves from his teammates for his buy-in and his management.
Rodgers joins a quarterback room that expanded whereas he made up his thoughts. The Steelers chosen Penn State’s Drew Allar in the third spherical of the draft. He joins veteran Mason Rudolph and Will Howard, a sixth-round alternative in 2025.
Howard and Allar determine to be longer-term initiatives, and Rodgers’ presence will give them time to develop whereas additionally gleaning no matter classes they’ll from a quarterback who spent three seasons backing up Hall of Famer Brett Favre in Green Bay earlier than changing into the starter.
Pittsburgh additionally added receivers Michael Pittman Jr. and Germie Bernard in the offseason. The commerce for Pittman and the drafting of Bernard may present Rodgers with extra big-play choices after groups loaded up to cease DK Metcalf final 12 months.
While it appeared the query surrounding Rodgers wasn’t if he would re-sign, however when, it’s nonetheless unsure when he may really take the subject along with his teammates. Pittsburgh begins organized staff actions on May 18.
Though OTAs are usually voluntary in title solely in most locations — notably with a first-year coach — Rodgers’ familiarity with McCarthy’s offense and the alternative for Pittsburgh to use OTAs as a probability to give Allar and Howard loads of reps imply Rodgers may keep dwelling in Malibu, California, till necessary minicamp from June 2-4.
Either means, when the staff reviews for coaching camp at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe in late July, Rodgers will run out with the starters with the objective of main the Steelers again to the playoffs whereas eyeing the franchise’s first postseason victory in a decade.