How much Aaron Rodgers is too much Aaron Rodgers?
We’re soon about to find out if the 41-year-old decides he actually wants to play football again. If Rodgers goes on another darkness retreat, reappears on The Pat McAfee Show, and announces his intentions to play for the Pittsburgh Steelers, he’ll have four primetime games on the horizon.
That isn’t much compared to how much the NFL made the New York Jets its media darlings last year, but it’s still significant. The NFL’s VP of broadcast planning, Mike North, is on the record saying, “You gotta lean in” when it’s Aaron Rodgers. And despite being unwatchable for most of the 2024 NFL season, his last with New York, Rodgers relished being in primetime.
If he signs with the Steelers, he’ll relish being in primetime again.
North tried his best to explain the NFL’s philosophy, even though Rodgers remains unsigned and may never play football again.
“Look, you know as much as we know, if we knew anything definitive — look, the last couple of years, Aaron Rodgers’ first game with the Jets and his second first game with the Jets, those were both in primetime windows,” North told Kay Adams on Up & Adams on Thursday. “I think if we knew anything for certain, you might’ve seen a Steelers game in primetime in Week 1.”
The Steelers play the Jets in Week 1. Barring injury, Justin Fields will be under center for Gang Green.
As for Rodgers?
“We don’t know anything more than you do. At worst, Steelers-Jets is Justin Fields against his old team,” North adds. “At best, it’s Justin Fields and Aaron Rodgers playing against their former homes. The Steelers’ schedule, obviously, only gets more interesting if a future Hall of Fame quarterback decides to play, but they’re still the Steelers. And, you know, [Mike Tomlin] has never had a losing season; they’re always in the playoff chase down the stretch. Steelers-Packers still sounds like a football game, like Howard Katz would say.
“I don’t think we overindulged on the Steelers. I think their record warrants some national television exposure and their national fanbase. Look, those games only get more interesting if Aaron decides to play again. What do any of us know? But I live in New York. I watched most of his games last year. He still looks like Aaron Rodgers to me. He doesn’t seem like a guy ready for retirement. So, when we know, we’ll see what happens.”
For now, the Steelers are scheduled for four primetime games. They’ll also play in Dublin against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 4, a Sunday morning NFL Network special.
Their primetime slate includes:
- Week 7 vs. Cincinnati Bengals (Thursday Night Football, Prime Video)
- Week 8 vs. Green Bay Packers (Sunday Night Football, NBC)
- Week 10 vs. Los Angeles Chargers (Sunday Night Football, NBC)
- Week 15 vs. Miami Dolphins (Monday Night Football, ESPN)
If Mason Rudolph or Will Howard is running the show instead, you might be sick of the Steelers by Week 6.
And the NFL might be, too. That’s why the flex option was invented.