It’s Wednesday, which means it’s time for a weekly Steelers links roundup at BTSC. But first, let’s take a look around the AFC North:

Now, onto some Steelers news and discussion:

(From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Brian Batko): “It wasn’t the season I wanted,” said Queen, who thinks he could’ve had six interceptions. “Just because I didn’t play the type of football I wanted to. You could blame it on a whole new system and all that other stuff, but at the end of the day, I’m a professional football player. That was Year 5. So, I think I should’ve been a little more well-prepared for that. I definitely take all accountability for that.”

Queen played nearly 100% of the Steelers’ defensive snaps in 2025, logging 129 combined tackles and six tackles for loss. He also earned his second career Pro Bowl appearance, but his season started slow and he didn’t play up to the biggest free agent contract in Steelers history.

Queen seems to agree.

The athletic linebacker seemed to find his stride later in the year, and he’s planning on a big leap in his second season with the Steelers. In his interview with the Post-Gazette, he talks about those raised expectations — but there’s even more about his passion for fishing if you read the entire article.

(From TribLive’s Tim Benz): The media kerfuffle over what Gov. Josh Shapiro said — or didn’t say — about public funding for football stadiums in Pennsylvania is just the beginning of what will undoubtedly be a hair-pulling, mind-numbing process until the Steelers and Eagles work out their new leases.

That’s whether they play in their current stadiums moving forward or elsewhere.

If you missed the easily avoidable consternation, a few quotes from Shapiro about the prospect of allocating state money for new stadiums were improperly framed on Sunday.

This is a nice column to read if you, like me, were a little confused by the AP story (now deleted by a number of outlets) about Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and state sports teams — the headlines claiming Shapiro said “no” to funding new stadiums didn’t exactly match the quotes from the governor.

While Shapiro did make it sound like he has far more pressing budget concerns than new stadiums for teams in Pennsylvania, he specifically said that it’s important for the Steelers and Eagles to “have outstanding places to play, that are welcoming for fans, that generate revenue for the economy…” in a transcript provided by Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio.

Shapiro added: “We’ve got really great communication with Jeffrey Lurie and with (Steelers owner) Art Rooney, and we’re going to continue to dialogue with them about what they need and what’s possible.”

The Steelers, unlike the Eagles, haven’t shown signs of wanting to move on from their current home as the team’s Acrisure Stadium lease is set to expire in 2030. In February, Acrisure saw several million in stadium upgrades, including new Wi-Fi.

(From Steelers Wire’s Curt Popejoy): On Tuesday, the NFL world got flipped on its head when a report from NFL reporter Pablo Torre presented information from a huge investigation into collusion and the NFL. Many teams and players were implicated in the 61-page report but nowhere was there a word about the Pittsburgh Steelers being involved.

This story of alleged collusion between NFL owners following Deshaun Watson’s fully-guaranteed, $230 million contract with the Cleveland Browns in 2022 has been sports media’s latest bombshell. In short, the NFL Management Council reportedly encouraged teams to lower guarantees in veteran contracts following the Watson deal.

I’d recommend looking into the investigative work of Pablo Torre here if you’re interested in what it all means, and looking at the 61-page document yourself.

The good news for Pittsburgh fans: While Russell Wilson was a witness in this case (in regards to his contract situation with Denver), the Steelers themselves are not otherwise mentioned in the document.

(From Pro Football Talk’s Josh Alper): Rodgers, who signed with the Steelers just before their three-day mandatory minicamp closed out their offseason, said on The Pat McAfee Show on Tuesday that he will have some Steelers players out to Malibu to work out with him next week.

“We have some guys coming out next week, so it’ll be fun to spend a little time with them. . . . Some of these guys might wanna get dressed up because of the f-ing paparazzi,” Rodgers said.

Aaron Rodgers missed the early stages of the Steelers offseason before signing with the team ahead of veteran minicamp. And, although garnished with a quip about his relationship with the media, he mentioned on The Pat McAfee Show that he’ll be putting in some extra work with his new teammates before training camp.

Can Aaron Rodgers build enough chemistry with his Steelers teammates?

Rodgers’ chemistry with his pass-catchers has always been an important aspect of his game, and as he’s become even more of a quick game passer with age, timing has become all the more essential to his success.

An experienced, all-time great at quarterback, Rodgers’ missed time earlier in the offseason doesn’t spell disaster for the upcoming season. But it is more time lost with a brand-new group of receivers. Will Rodgers be able to establish enough of a connection?

The good news for the Steelers is that since the George Pickens trade, the team’s wide receiver corps look a little more detail-oriented as a whole.

And while there’s generally optimism around teams at this point in the season, Rodgers seems to be getting along well with his new surroundings. He told the Steelers he’s “all in,” and the announcement that 2025 is likely his last NFL season should only up his commitment to going out on a strong note.

Of course, late season frustrations have found a way to seep into the Steelers’ locker room over the last several years, but the 2025 team is starting off on the right foot. It’s hard to be overly optimistic about the team’s passing game entering the new season, but in the organization, the Rodgers signing seems to have boosted morale.

Early on, the effort is certainly there to build strong connections with the team’s latest future Hall of Famer at quarterback.

Do you think Rodgers will build enough chemistry with his pass-catchers in Pittsburgh? Join the BTSC community and let us know in the comments!