Aaron Rodgers watches Kentucky Derby as he weighs NFL future
Aaron Rodgers was spotted at the Kentucky Derby on Saturday evening as the NFL world awaited his decision on whether he will sign with a team for the 2025 season or retire.
The NBC broadcast spotted Rodgers in the stands at Churchill Downs. The Louisville Courier-Journal also spotted Rodgers at the Barnstable Brown Derby Eve Gala with former Green Bay Packers players Davante Adams, Randall Cobb, Jimmy Graham, A.J. Hawk, Corey Linsley and Daivd Bakhtiari.
NBC broadcaster Mike Tirico was asked on "Up & Adams" on Friday whether he believes he has had his last production meeting with Rodgers.
"I hope not," he said. "I think his comments about his personal life and those other things, kind of encroaching on the space of full dedication to football or an indication that it might be the end. In my soul, I want to see Aaron Rodgers in Pittsburgh, because I always think [Mike Tomlin's] teams have a chance to win almost every game.
"And, to be candid, since [Ben Roethlisberger] has not been there, that the one play a game that the quarterback makes, that's an unscripted play, that wasn't covered Monday through Saturday, he needs somebody to make that play, and Aaron showed, at the end of last year, he can still make that play.
"I would love to see that marriage of you don't need to score 30 with the Steelers – you need to score 22 or you need to score 19 – just get us down to position for a game-winning field goal. I still think he can do that often enough where I'd like to see that marriage happen. But as we get, now, to May, my confidence in that happening has diminished significantly."
The Steelers appear to be the only possibility for Rodgers to land as the Minnesota Vikings appear to be ready to go with J.J. McCarthy for the 2025 season. The New York Jets moved on from Rodgers in the winter.
Steelers owner Art Rooney II and head coach Mike Tomlin have both publicly shown interest in bringing in the four-time MVP quarterback to lead their offense after his failed tenure with the New York Jets.
"That's certainly a possibility," Tomlin said to NFL Network about getting a decision from Rodgers soon. "I'm not going to forecast the ifs and whens regarding not only him, but any other potential free agent. We've had really productive talks with him, and I've enjoyed having productive talks with him and getting to know him."
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