At first, it felt like the Pittsburgh Steelers could have a decision from Aaron Rodgers within the first couple days of free agency. Then, it became clear that it would take a week or two. Now, who knows how much longer the Steelers will be waiting.
In the meantime, Rodgers did get some work in with DK Metcalf. Obviously, Metcalf would be Rodgers’ teammate in Pittsburgh, so it’s notable. Although it’s typical for players to work out with each other in the offseason regardless of their respective teams, Rodgers’ former teammate James Jones thinks it’s a big deal.
“Somebody had to call somebody in this situation,” Jones said on FS1’s The Facility on Monday. “Either DK reached out like ‘What’s up bruh, what you wanna do?’ Or Aaron reached out and said ‘Hey man, let’s throw’. And this right here, this ain’t little. This is big. This tells me Aaron Rodgers is gonna be a Pittsburgh Steeler. Why am I [Rodgers] throwing to DK Metcalf?… I believe this is a big deal.”
It’s important to note that Metcalf was already training in California. While him and Rodgers made the extra effort to link-up, it’s not like either one of them traveled across the country to train with each other. It’s not out of the ordinary for players to work out with each other randomly, either.
However, Jones knows Rodgers well. His comments should not be something to disregard. And there are two big takeaways from them.
First, obviously, is that it’s starting to feel more likely that Rodgers ends up a Steeler. There’s no timetable for a possible deal, but both sides are running out of options here. And Rodgers throwing to Metcalf is notable, since DK would be his WR1 in Pittsburgh.
However, the fact that he’s working out could also be evidence that he isn’t contemplating retirement. For any QB over the age of 40, it’s obviously in the back of his mind. But the fact that he’s working out in late-March, a few months away from training camp when the intensity really ramps up, is a sign that he feels the need to be prepared for the 2025 season. Retirement is something Rodgers is reportedly considering, so this is an encouraging sign for Pittsburgh.
It still seems like it will be a while until Rodgers actually makes a decision. With each new nugget of info, though, it’s starting to feel more likely.
