The Shocking Steelers Draft Secret: How They Nearly Picked Aaron Rodgers in 2005

If Rodgers had been on the board at No. 30, what would the Steelers have done? They’d used a first-round pick in 2004 on quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who helped the team to a 15-1 record and a berth in the AFC Championship.

“We wouldn’t have had to [trade up],” Whaley said, via Nick Farabaugh of PennLive.com. “We would’ve just sat there. We had him higher than that. We were surprised he was slipping.”And in the first Super Bowl won by the Steelers since the 1979 season, Roethlisberger didn’t have a stellar day. He completed nine of 21 passes for 123 yards, no touchdowns, and two interceptions in the 21-10 win over the Seahawks. (He also rushed for 25 yards and a touchdown on seven attempts.)Twenty years after he was drafted by the Packers, quarterback Aaron Rodgers is a Steeler. He could have been a Steeler 20 years ago.What would Rodgers have done in Pittsburgh, as a rookie and beyond? We’ll never know. But we will know how he does in 2025, four years after Roethlisberger retired. It’s wild to think, but Aaron Rodgers—now donning the Steelers’ black and gold—is just completing a circle that almost closed two decades ago. Back in 2005, as the NFL Draft unfolded, Steelers brass had their eyes glued on the falling star that was Rodgers, stunned by how far he slipped through the first round. Doug Whaley, the team’s former pro personnel director, spilled the beans on 93.7 The Fan: the Steelers didn’t even need to trade up; they were ready to pounce at their slot, believing Rodgers was destined to be theirs. Yet, destiny took a twist—Green Bay scooped him up at 24, while Pittsburgh waited until 30 to nab Heath Miller, and later made Ben Roethlisberger their cornerstone. It’s a fascinating “what if” scenario—Rodgers, the superior passer in many eyes, versus Roethlisberger, a two-time Super Bowl champ who etched his own indelible mark on Steeler lore. And while Roethlisberger’s first Super Bowl win wasn’t exactly flash and dazzle, it sealed a long-awaited victory for Pittsburgh. So, what might have been if Aaron had started his pro journey in Pittsburgh? We’ll never know for sure, but one thing’s certain: the 2025 season will shed new light on how Rodgers continues to carve out his legacy long after Big Ben’s final snap. LEARN MORE.

The Packers ended the slide at No. 24. The Steelers didn’t pick that year until No. 30. (They took tight end Heath Miller.)Rodgers is the objectively better passer. But Roethlisberger won two Super Bowls. But Rodgers beat Roethsliberger in a Super Bowl.Appearing on 93.7 The Fan in Pittsburgh, former Steelers pro personnel director Doug Whaley said that, as Rodgers plunged through the first round, the Steelers were watching the situation.