Aaron Rodgers wearing No. 12 with the Steelers seems quite unlikely at this point.
While the team hasn’t officially retired it, No. 12 is effectively off-limits, a tribute to the iconic Terry Bradshaw.
Given Bradshaw’s recent remarks about Rodgers, who inked a one-year deal with Pittsburgh on Thursday, it appears he won’t be passing his number to the new quarterback.
Just last month, Bradshaw shared candid thoughts about Rodgers’ free agency journey with the Steelers, calling the entire situation a “joke.”
“That’s a joke. For me, it’s a joke,” Bradshaw remarked on 103.7, adding, “What are you going to do? Take him for a year, will you tease me? The guy needs to stay in California.”
At 76, Bradshaw, who won four Super Bowls during his 14-year career in Pittsburgh, was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1989.
Rodgers, now 41, is set to fly to Pittsburgh on Friday to finalize his one-year contract and participate in a mandatory minicamp on Tuesday, ending months of free agency speculation.
Contract details remain undisclosed.
In an episode of the “Joe Rogan Podcast,” Rodgers shared that a reason for his extended free agency was related to someone close to him being diagnosed with cancer.
“I was holding these people who had cancer,” Rodgers stated during the conversation.
He also discussed his thought process in April on the “Pat McAfee Show,” mentioning that he had even considered retirement.
“I’m at another stage in my life,” Rodgers explained, noting, “I’m 41. I’ve made a serious commitment without knowing what my future looks like following last year. That matters to me. It’s important to some people in my circle.”
“So, I spent a lot of time focusing on things outside of football in January, and that’s where my attention is mostly directed.”
