Rodgers Was The Steelers' Third Option Per Schefter

Photo: Joe Sargent/Getty Images

It’s been a long and winding offseason for the Pittsburgh Steelers, but on Saturday, veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers finally made it official, signing a one-year contract with the team. Surprisingly, Rodgers wasn't the Steelers' first or even second choice—he was their third quarterback option.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Pittsburgh initially had its sights set on Matthew Stafford, The team pursued a trade for the Rams' signal-caller but ultimately couldn’t strike a deal due to his steep salary demands. Stafford later secured a two-year extension with Los Angeles in early May.

The Steelers' second quarterback target was former backup Justin Fields, who started their first six games last season, posting a solid 4-2 record. However, Pittsburgh opted to replace him with Russell Wilson ahead of Week 7, and Wilson remained the team's starter through the rest of the season, including the playoffs. Despite extending an offer, Fields ultimately chose to sign with the New York Jets on March 13.

With both preferred options off the table, the Steelers turned to Rodgers as their next best choice, given the limited alternatives—including re-signing Wilson.

Rodgers' two seasons with the Jets were largely forgettable, but last year, he still managed to put up respectable numbers, throwing for 3,897 yards, 28 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions across 17 games.