Mike Tomlin and the Pittsburgh Steelers are searching for a new quarterback after Justin Fields joined the New York Jets and Russell Wilson began visiting other teams. Pittsburgh hasn’t had a stable presence at the position since future Hall of Famer Ben Roethlisberger retired.
Former NFL quarterback and 2002 MVP Rich Gannon recently appeared on “The Zach Gelb Show” to discuss a veteran signal-caller the Steelers could target—and what assurances Tomlin should demand first.
Analyst Says Mike Tomlin Needs Full Commitment From Aaron Rodgers
Since Roethlisberger retired after the 2021 season, Pittsburgh has cycled through Kenny Pickett, Mitch Trubisky, Mason Rudolph, Fields, and Wilson. None have secured the starting role, despite the team posting a winning record every season and making the playoffs the last two years.
Aaron Rodgers remains a free agent and has been linked to Pittsburgh since the offseason began. He’s also been linked to the Minnesota Vikings, but the four-time MVP has had a rough stretch over the last three seasons. His final year in Green Bay ended with an 8-9 record and no playoff berth, while his two years with the New York Jets resulted in a torn Achilles in 2023 and just five wins in 2024.
Gannon weighed in on the possibility of Rodgers joining Pittsburgh, saying the quarterback should be eager to sign.
Gannon explained, “I think this is a great situation for Aaron Rodgers… I’d be pushing my agent to get a deal done as soon as possible. Why? Even despite the struggles they had last year at the quarterback position, this team still won 10 games and made the playoffs.”
However, the former MVP emphasized that Rodgers must fully commit:
“I think the big thing with Aaron Rodgers is he’s got to be willing to be uncomfortable. He’s got to be willing to work with the coaching staff and Mike Tomlin and the folks in Pittsburgh and say, ‘You know what? I’m going to commit myself to the entire offseason program. I’m going to do everything that’s necessary.’
“I just think he was so frustrated with what happened last year. He needs to go somewhere where there’s professionalism, accountability, attention to detail. You can get that in Pittsburgh with Mike Tomlin and Arthur Smith.”
Rich Gannon says Mike Tomlin should only bring in Aaron Rodgers if Aaron gives him his word that he's all in. @InfSportsNet @SiriusXMNFL @937theFan @RichGannon12 pic.twitter.com/gOHFY9eTvS
— Zach Gelb (@ZachGelb) March 12, 2025
Gannon also discussed how Tomlin should approach the situation:
“If I’m Mike Tomlin, that’s where we start. We sit down—we’re not going to talk about the tape. We’re not going to talk about football. We’re not going to talk about the offense. I’m just going to sit there and say, ‘Hey, what do you want?… Before you go to Canton and get that gold jacket, what do you want to accomplish?’
“You want to compete for a world championship? Here’s the place. I’ve never had a losing season, but here’s what I need from you… Are you going to be all in? I need a total commitment from you, and if you give me that, what we’ll do is put together a great offensive system that you’re comfortable with.”
Gannon believes the Steelers need to be certain Rodgers is fully committed before signing him.
He continued, “That’s what Mike Tomlin has to figure out. Is this guy going to be all on board, or are there gonna be distractions? There are going to be some things that he’s not as comfortable with. If I’m Mike Tomlin, I don’t want to go down that road. I don’t want to set my program back to accommodate one player.”
Rodgers finished 2024 with 3,897 yards, 28 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions while returning from his Achilles injury. He improved as the season progressed but ranked No. 21 in PFSN’s QB+ metric. A move to Pittsburgh would likely put Rodgers back in the playoffs, but he’d be stepping into a culture where “the standard is the standard.”