Dan Marino Issues Blunt Warning to Steelers About Aaron Rodgers originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
After months of fans begging free-agent quarterback Aaron Rodgers to make a decision, he finally obliged.
On Thursday, the Pittsburgh Steelers announced they had reached a one-year deal with the four-time MVP just ahead of the team’s mandatory minicamp, ending the near 10 weeks of speculation about whether or not Rodgers would play in 2025 or retire.
Many have weighed in on the Steelers’ situation in the 24 hours since the Rodgers news became official, but one former player’s opinion that stuck out above the others is that of legendary Miami Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino.
During a recent radio interview with 93.7 The Fan, the nine-time Pro Bowler admitted that while he still believes in Rodgers to play at a high level, he has some serious questions about where Rodgers’ head is it, and he sent a subtle message to the Steelers to essentially proceed with caution.
“I still think Aaron has some game,” Marino disclosed. “He does. He can throw it as good as anybody that has ever thrown the football. If his mind’s into it and he’s ready to go and that works. I don’t think it would be an issue with the Steelers.
“But you got to have someone that really wants to play there. And he’s getting older. So I don’t know what his mindset is. But he does still have talent.”
There is some good news for the Steelers and their fans should the Rodgers’ signing not pan out.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Pittsburgh is financially investing very little in the 41-year-old QB.
“Aaron Rodgers said on the ‘Pat McAfee Show’ he’d play for $10 million, and that’s where the base salary is expected to be with some incentives to get a little higher,” Rapoport stated on Friday. “It is not going to be a big-money deal.”
If Rodgers struggles or things go sideways between he and the Steelers, the team can turn to Mason Rudolph, who has an 8-4-1 record as the Steelers’ starter in his previous four seasons with the team.
Related: Steelers’ First Post After Signing Aaron Rodgers Turns Heads
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 7, 2025, where it first appeared.