Is the elusive Aaron Rodgers throwing passes with new Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf a sign that he’ll rock the Black and Gold soon? Nobody really knows — maybe not even Rodgers himself.
But Rodgers has been around the NFL block. He knows exactly what he’s doing — sending fans and media into a frenzy about his whereabouts, as if his name didn’t dominate offseason headlines already.
Even if the Rodgers and Metcalf “private” session was staged for this very purpose, former Green Bay Packers quarterback Matt Hasselbeck believes it’s very telling.
Aaron Rodgers Has NFL — Not Retirement — on His Mind
On FS1’s “The Herd,” Colin Cowherd and Hasselbeck (drafted by the Green Bay Packers in 1999 to sit behind Brett Favre for two seasons) broke down the viral UCLA workout between Aaron Rodgers and DK Metcalf, which set off a new wave of Steelers rumors.
“That feels like something, right?” Cowherd said, wondering aloud if Rodgers had dropped a hint.
Hasselbeck pumped the brakes.
“That’s the spot, UCLA … They’re very friendly with celebrities coming there and working out. I mean, I think I’ve seen Justin Bieber running the stairs there, so that’s not a big deal.”
But Hasselbeck did have one big takeaway: “What it does tell me though is that Aaron Rogers isn’t isn’t really thinking about retiring. You don’t go out at his age and throw footballs with DK Metcalf in March if you’re probably gonna retire. So, I don’t know that we have a lot of answers, but I think that that answer is pretty clear — this is a guy that’s training and getting ready to play this year.”
Rodgers might be tipping his next team — but retirement? It doesn’t seem likely.
Rodgers Waiting on Vikings? Steelers Legend Ben Roethlisberger Thinks So
Rodgers is staying quiet, but his actions aren’t. He’s working out with Metcalf and staying in shape — yet he hasn’t signed with a team. Steelers legend Ben Roethlisberger thinks he knows why.
“I really believe that he’s going to be a Steeler,” Big Ben said on his “Footbahlin” podcast. “But … I think Aaron secretly — again, just my opinion — is still holding out for Minnesota.”
Rodgers has been linked to the Vikings, and their general manager, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, hasn’t ruled it out. According to Roethlisberger, Rodgers might view Minnesota as a more complete, Super Bowl-ready team.
“He might not be wrong,” Roethlisberger said, knowing his former team hasn’t won a playoff game in nearly a decade.
Roethlisberger also knows the Steelers haven’t landed his successor to the franchise since he retired in 2022. He hinted that Pittsburgh would try again and take a quarterback in the upcoming NFL Draft, no matter what Rodgers does.
“I think they’re going to draft a quarterback. It’s just a matter of how high.”
Still, he knows what Rodgers brings.
“The offense all of a sudden becomes a different team … You know what still works? His arm and his brain.”
Whether Rodgers ends up in purple or Black and Gold, one thing seems clear: He’s not done playing.