In what was one of the worst kept secrets in recent memory, free-agent quarterback Aaron Rodgers informed the Pittsburgh Steelers that he indeed will sign for the 2025 season.
Aaron Rodgers to fly to Pittsburgh on Friday, sign with Steelers ahead of mandatory minicamphttps://t.co/bOtmeai06G pic.twitter.com/wJbG909Ed9
— Around The NFL (@AroundTheNFL) June 5, 2025
Rodgers isn’t the same player he was in his prime, of course, and no one should expect him to be a slam dunk for fantasy purposes, but there’s also a misconception that he was awful in 2024 with the New York Jets. Once the dust settled, Rodgers finished QB7 (tied with Josh Allen) overall in passing touchdowns and No. 15 in fantasy points during what was a disastrous season for the Jets as a whole.
Meh, but not terrible.
Yes, that’s a far cry from his elite days of being a four-time NFL MVP, making some of the perspective understandable. However, in his first year following a blown Achilles, a 41-year-old Rodgers came around nicely as the season closed, and we should be as encouraged as reasonably possible for his age-42 season. Historically, though, the list of quarterbacks who were even consistently competent at that age is, well, Tom Brady.
In Pittsburgh, the situation is better for real-life success than fantasy contributions. Rodgers gives the Steelers a proven leader and winner, but the system run by Arthur Smith is heavily reliant on the ground game, and the offense has only one elite playmaker in the aerial attack.
Wideout DK Metcalf comes over from Seattle and gives Rodgers a true No. 1, but he’ll need serious help from the likes of Calvin Austin, Robert Woods, Ben Skowronek, and Roman Wilson to find his way back into weekly utility.
TE Pat Freiermuth projects as the No. 2 target among those currently on the roster, though rumblings of Pittsburgh acquiring tight end Jonnu Smith could flip this one on its head. Don’t be surprised if the Steelers add another capable wide receiver.
Pittsburgh’s pair of versatile (enough) running backs will help the Steelers keep things balanced and allow Rodgers to play his usual presnap mind games with defenders, but it clearly implies less passing and more rushing is in store.
Fantasy football outlook
So, with that all established, is Rodgers worthy of drafting in fantasy leagues? In 12-team, 16-player roster formats, yes, but barely. He’s a backend No. 2 with limited upside but should offer stability if you want to gamble your QB1 slot on a riskier player or like to rotate quarterbacks based on the matchups.
That is subject to improve if Pittsburgh blesses Rodgers with another marquee weapon, which would suggest the future Hall of Famer might have more sway in how the plays are called. Something tells us we’re not done examining this situation in the coming weeks….
