Rodgers, who also revealed Tuesday that he got married this offseason, is excited for his next chapter with the Steelers because of how he took to offensive coordinator Arthur Smith and Tomlin’s existing reputation as a premier coach. Having Metcalf on the roster doesn’t hurt, either, nor does the prestige of the Steelers organization, over which the quarterback gushed Tuesday, calling them one of “a few iconic franchises in the NFL” and adding “there’s something special about this area.”

But after enduring two challenging seasons with the Jets — including one that ended after four snaps due to an Achilles tear — it’s fair to wonder why, at 41 years old, Rodgers is still interested in playing.

“I don’t need it. For my ego, I don’t need it to keep playing,” Rodgers explained. “A lot of decisions that I’ve made over my career and life from strictly the ego — even if they turn out well — are always unfulfilling. But the decisions made from the soul are usually pretty fulfilling. So this was a decision that was best for my soul. I felt like being here with Coach T. and the guys they got here and the opportunity here was best for me. I’m excited to be here.”

Rodgers leads a group of quarterbacks which needed an obvious starter. Yes, experienced veteran Mason Rudolph is back in town, but behind him are underwhelming backup Skylar Thompson and a rookie in Howard. Without Rodgers, the Steelers would have entered 2025 with a glaring concern under center.

As Tomlin knows, his team is only as strong as his quarterbacks room. He’s learned about the importance of QB depth because he’s been forced to test it in recent years. Whether it was the cycle of quarterbacks in the final years of Ben Roethlisberger’s career or the revolving door that accompanied Kenny Pickett‘s tenure, or even last season’s swap from Justin Fields to Russell Wilson, Tomlin has come to understand he might not have the luxury of starting one quarterback in every game.

It’s why the Steelers brought back Rudolph, added Thompson and drafted Howard. Their goal is to build the strongest quarterbacks room possible behind Rodgers.

Now, they have a headliner atop the depth chart in Rodgers. They’ll hope he lands above the fold for all the right reasons while wearing black and gold in 2025.