Aaron Rodgers in Pittsburgh needs to be all about football

Well, it’s finally over.

After more than 2 1/2 months of speculation as to whether or not Aaron Rodgers was going to join the Pittsburgh Steelers, it was reported and confirmed on Thursday he has agreed to terms with the Steelers and will participate in minicamp next week. For some, this is great news. For others, it’s disappointing. But for everyone, at least there is an answer.

It’s difficult to get an entire group of people to agree on anything. The larger the group, the harder it is for agreement. And Steelers’ Nation is enormous. There’s never going to be a consensus as to what the Steelers should do. So regardless of how fans feel about the Steelers signing Aaron Rodgers for the 2025 season, it is what it is.

Believe it or not, most of the issues coming with those who both were and are still unsure about Aaron Rodgers has more to do with him off the field than his play on the field. Yes, some people talk about his age and his production the last two seasons in New York, but most of the complaints are about things not always directly related to football.

When the possibility of the Steelers signing Aaron Rodgers came about in March, I admit I was not a fan. I thought he had way too many distractions associated with him, and his expected price tag was way too high. I have to admit that the first thing was an issue. But in all honesty, especially being the number cruncher around these parts, it was more about the second part dealing with the salary. I didn’t want the Steelers spending a lot of money on quarterback for 2025 if they weren’t going to be the long-term solution. Because that appears that it might not be the case, although we won’t have any official numbers to Rodgers’ contract for at least a few days, I started to warm up to the idea of Rodgers commanding the team this year for the Steelers to then try to find a more long-term solution next year or beyond.

Still, the other issue remained about the off-field distractions.

I’m not going to go into things politically what it comes to Aaron Rodgers. There are a lot of people that have problems with him from both sides. And honestly, it’s coming from both sides. I’m not bringing this up to dive into such things, but it is reasonable to acknowledge that these kind of things exist.

Additionally, going on shows like Pat McAfee is likely to bring some “cringe” moments among Steelers fans. Will he throw his teammates under the bus? Will he insult the team, the city, the coaches, or anyone else? Is it just going to be a distraction?

Honestly, the best way to look at Aaron Rodgers as part of the Pittsburgh Steelers is to focus strictly on football.

If Steelers fans can keep it about the football, then Aaron Rodgers is much more easy to accept. If he plays well, give him credit. If he plays horrible, be critical. But what Rogers does on the football field should be heavily waited in the overall opinion. The biggest scrutiny he should face should be from his actions on the field, not the interview he gave us after the game. I admit, the interview could rub people the wrong way. But ultimately, focusing on football is the best thing for Steelers’ Nation.

Looking back at other players with the Pittsburgh Steelers, I’m reminded of how much the frustrations came from things that weren’t necessarily football. While many people enjoyed it, I was always concerned about what Ben Roethlisberger was going to say on his radio show when he was playing with the Steelers. As much as I loved Ben Roethlisberger the player, it made me think less of Ben Roethlisberger the teammate many times. But it’s easy to still cheer for Ben Roethlisberger when focusing on football.

I’m not saying that if Aaron Rodgers does something off the field that is morally atrocious there should not be repercussions. But at least for me, I’m focusing on what he’s doing for the 2025 Pittsburgh Steelers on the field and in the locker room. All the other noise that comes along with him can be exactly that— noise.

So those in Steelers’ Nation who did not want to see Aaron Rodgers in a black and gold uniform, you can still appreciate any success he may bring simply by supporting the team. It is more about the logo on the front of the jersey and not the name on the back. If you remember everything else is just noise and what ultimately what Rodgers brings occurs on the football field, it might change your outlook on the 2025 season.