Steelers Eyeing Top WR for Aaron Rodgers Before Trade Deadline

Jordan Rodgers just gave his older brother Aaron the kind of public vote of confidence that usually only happens in movies.

On Tuesday's episode of ESPN's First Take, the former NFL quarterback and current analyst was asked a simple question: Which AFC quarterback do you trust most in the playoffs?

The answer surprised the panel.

"This one might surprise you a little bit," Jordan said on the show.

"I'm gonna go Rodgers, and here's why."

He didn't pick Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills.

He didn't pick Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs, Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals, or Caleb Williams of the Chicago Bears.

He picked his brother Aaron, the 42-year-old quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The pick raised eyebrows because the Rodgers brothers have had a famously strained relationship over the years.

Public feuds, estranged periods, and awkward interviews have defined their dynamic for much of the last decade.

Yet there was Jordan, on live national television, putting his reputation behind the man he grew up with.

His reasoning had nothing to do with family sentiment.

It had everything to do with how the Steelers win football games in 2026.

"They have an elite defense that's playing at a high level, and they run the freaking ball," Jordan said.

"So they're asking less of Aaron than maybe he ever has at any point in his career, right? He needs to manage the run game. He needs to find opportunities to get his playmakers, like Jaylen Warren, in space — like Darnell Washington in space. Get a few opportunities to DK [Metcalf]."

That analysis matches the numbers.

Aaron Rodgers has thrown for 1,871 yards, 13 touchdowns and six interceptions this season, completing 60.8 percent of his passes.

Those are steady numbers.

They are not spectacular.

The Steelers do not seem to mind.

Pittsburgh sits at 6-2, alone at the top of the AFC North, with a defense that ranks among the league's best and a running game that controls the clock.

Jordan made the case that this formula — not individual brilliance — is what wins in January.

"I just feel like I trust the guy that's got the MVPs, that has the veteran status, that's seen everything, that is also not required everything of him for them to win," he said.

"I think that's a good sweet spot they're in."

He acknowledged that Allen is one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL right now.

He put Allen and Caleb Williams in the same tier at the top of the conference.

But he chose experience over flash.

He chose the quarterback who has four MVP awards, a Super Bowl ring, and two decades of NFL experience.

He chose the quarterback who no longer has to do it all alone.

FIRST TAKE HOST SHAE CORNETTE teed up the debate topic with the playoffs still two months away.

In the world of First Take, hypothetical analysis is never late.

For reference, if the NFL playoffs started today — which they do not — the AFC field would include Josh Allen, Bo Nix, Aaron Rodgers, Trevor Lawrence, Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, and Drake Maye.

Jordan's pick went against conventional wisdom.

Most analysts would take Allen or Mahomes in a one-game scenario.

Jordan went with the 42-year-old in his final season before retirement.

THE TIMING OF THIS ENDORSEMENT is notable for another reason.

The NFL trade deadline is Nov. 10 — just five days from now.

According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano, the Steelers are actively looking for wide receiver help to support Rodgers down the stretch.

The team has Michael Pittman Jr. and Roman Wilson on injured reserve.

DK Metcalf is having a disappointing season by his standards.

Pittsburgh believes it has the defense, run game and offensive line to make a legitimate run in Rodgers' final season.

The front office wants to get him more help at receiver before the deadline passes.

Names mentioned as potential targets include Josh Downs of the Indianapolis Colts and Brian Thomas Jr. of the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The Steelers are among several teams interested in both players.

A trade would signal that the organization shares Jordan's confidence in Aaron Rodgers.

It would mean the front office sees this season as a real opportunity — not just a farewell tour.