The New York Giants have already had enough quarterback chaos for one season, and the latest name to get tossed into the mix is one they should keep far away from: Aaron Rodgers.
With Jaxson Dart done for the year because of a knee injury, the speculation machine has spun up fast. Colin Kaepernick, Tua Tagovailoa and Shedeur Sanders have all been floated as possible answers, at least in somebody’s imagination. Now Rodgers has entered the conversation, with Ryan Pawloski of Still Curtain, FanSided’s Pittsburgh Steelers site, suggesting the Steelers could send the 42-year-old to East Rutherford if their season goes off the rails.
The idea is simple enough on paper. Rodgers would give the Giants a veteran stopgap, offer them a chance to stay afloat in John Harbaugh’s first season in charge, and give the quarterback a meaningful final season while Pittsburgh resets. But that’s where the appeal ends.
Giants general manager Joe Schoen should not even think about making that move.
There’s only one real reason to trade for a 42-year-old quarterback who has already said this is his final season: he has to give you a legitimate shot at winning a Super Bowl. Rodgers is nowhere near that level right now.
The numbers are brutal. Among the 29 quarterbacks with at least 50 dropbacks this season, Rodgers is last in EPA per play, last in success rate and 28th in yards per attempt. By those measures, he has been the worst starting quarterback in the NFL.
And the way he’s playing is dragging everything down around him. Rodgers is still operating from static, easy-to-read formations and getting the ball out quickly, and the Steelers have not been able to move the ball consistently because of it.
Pawloski’s scenario also depends on Pittsburgh reaching a point where it’s willing to bail out. That would only happen if the season truly tanked, and even then, the Steelers have spent the last decade showing they’re reluctant to admit defeat.
The cost might not even be steep. A seventh-round pick, or maybe just a late-round pick swap, could be enough to get a deal done.
But cheap doesn’t make it sensible. If the Steelers are bad enough to move Rodgers, that would mean he hasn’t rebounded.
So why would the Giants hand over even a modest asset for a 42-year-old quarterback who has been one of the worst in the league?
In Other News...
Pirates Just Sent A Clear Message About Don Kelly
The Pirates closed out the 2026 season without a playoff berth, but they did manage to avoid a losing record for the first time since 2018, a small step that still matters in a rebuild that has asked for patience. In that context, general manager Ben Cherington made it clear where the organization stands on Don Kelly, pointing to the managers leadership and commitment as reasons the club believes it has the right person guiding the dugout.
Kelly will be back in the role next season, and that decision gives Pittsburgh some continuity as it tries to build on a roster Cherington believes has a strong core. The bigger challenge now is turning that stability into actual progress, with the Pirates expecting to take another step forward in 2027 under Kellys management. [Read more 🡒]
Doc Emrick Gives Pirates Fans Another Reason To Love Pittsburgh
Doc Emrick has given Pirates fans yet another reason to smile about the franchises pull beyond baseball. The Hall of Fame hockey broadcaster has been a longtime supporter of the club, a fandom that dates back to a game he attended in 1959, and his connection to Pittsburgh has only deepened over the years through his work and teaching in the city.
Emrick has also made himself part of the Pirates orbit in more direct ways, attending Pirates fantasy camp and watching every game. After retiring from hockey broadcasting in 2020, he recently joined the SportsNet Pittsburgh broadcast team, adding a familiar and respected voice to the local scene and giving fans another reminder of how often Pittsburghs sports worlds seem to overlap. [Read more 🡒]
Pirates Give Veteran A Career-First Chance In A Strange Spot
Kirby Yates is about to get a look he has never had in a 12-year major league career. The Pirates right-hander will make his first big league start Sept. 25 against the Tigers at Comerica Park, a rare assignment for a pitcher whose entire rsum has been built out of the bullpen and whose 517 relief appearances represent the longest streak for any Pirates pitcher in the Modern Era.
The timing gives the game an unusual layer, too, because it will also serve as Justin Verlanders final MLB start for Detroit. For Pittsburgh, the decision is notable not just because it asks Yates to fill a different role for one night, but because it puts him in a game with a bit of baseball history hanging over both sides. [Read more 🡒]