It’s been months since the Pittsburgh Steelers and Aaron Rodgers were linked as a potential marriage for the 2025 season and three weeks since his over-analyzed meeting with head coach Mike Tomlin and the rest of the Pittsburgh brass.
With a dozen days until the 2025 NFL Draft, Rodgers is still weighing his future. The Steelers appear to be the front-runner if he decides to play in 2025, and the team seems content to ride with the four-time MVP in the immediate term.
But behind the scenes, there’s growing buzz that Pittsburgh is preparing to make a big swing that would go against their usual quarterback strategy and attempt to plant the flag on a long-term solution.
NFL Draft: Steelers Trade Up With Jets to Snag Controversial QB
Even in this shaky class of quarterbacks, Pittsburgh could be forced to use a first-round selection on a rookie — a move that will be more critical if Rodgers retires or goes to another team before the draft.
The player at the center of the conversation is none other than Shedeur Sanders — the prolific Colorado quarterback and son of NFL legend Deion Sanders — who accounted for 151 total touchdowns in college and has been praised as one of the most NFL-ready passers in the class. Although Cam Ward has long been viewed as QB1 in this lackluster class, the spotlight has been on Sanders, who has firmly held celebrity status well before declaring for the draft.
In the latest PFSN NFL Mock Draft, the Steelers are predicted to pull off a bold trade with the New York Jets to move from No. 21 to No. 7 overall. The cost is steep — sending the No. 83 pick and a 2026 first-rounder along with this year’s first — but it positions Pittsburgh to jump ahead of quarterback-needy teams like the New Orleans Saints.
“The Pittsburgh Steelers seem likely to sign Aaron Rodgers whenever he makes up his mind about playing again, but he’s a stopgap option, if anything, at this stage,” wrote PFSN NFL Draft analyst Jacob Infante. “A bold move to trade up — particularly in front of the Saints — could be a move to help them get their long-term answer.”
Landing Sanders would be a calculated risk, but it’s the type of forward-thinking move the Steelers haven’t made in recent years. Finishing above .500 every year since Ben Roethlisberger retired, Pittsburgh’s first-round pick has been in the 20s, too low to draft a top-tier quarterback. Instead, the team has experimented with Kenny Pickett, mid-tier veterans (Mitch Trubisky), and short-term stopgaps (Russell Wilson, Justin Fields).
Now, that could be changing.
“A smart, accurate quarterback who improved consistently in college, Shedeur Sanders has the tools to start in the NFL,” Infante added. “The Steelers have some pieces in place for him to work with, and given their conservative approach to the quarterback position in recent years, Sanders would be a refreshing change of pace.”
With weapons like George Pickens, Pat Freiermuth, and newly acquired DK Metcalf already in place — not to mention a decent run game and an improving offensive line — Pittsburgh offers a stable environment for a young quarterback to grow.
If the Rodgers deal gets done, Sanders would have the rare opportunity to sit and learn from one of the game’s best before taking the reins. If not, the Steelers could be ready to hand him the keys sooner than later. Either way, Pittsburgh could be done with kicking the can down the road at quarterback.