The Pittsburgh Steelers were waiting on Aaron Rodgers a month ago, and still they’re in the exact same spot with the veteran QB. At this point, people are starting to tire of the wait. Unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be an answer on the horizon, and the wait to find the next Steelers QB could continue well into the offseason.
A few weeks ago, Cam Heyward said his pitch to Rodgers was simple: “You either want to be a Pittsburgh Steeler or you don’t.” Many took that as Heyward feeling frustration. He later clarified that he has no ill will toward Rodgers. Still, NFL insider Tom Pelissero thinks Heyward’s words reflect the views “other people” in the organization have as well.
“That opinion, from everything I’ve been told, is not solely to Cam Heyward,” Pelissero said Thursday while gues hosting The Rich Eisen Show. “There are other people, certainly in the organization, the locker room, who are just going like, ‘What are we doing? We’re back for offseason workouts in 10 days. We’re coming up on the draft. What is the plan?'”
Rodgers has already met with the Steelers. He’s worked out with DK Metcalf and has no real level of interest from any other team. All signs point to him joining Pittsburgh; it just hasn’t happened yet. Pat McAfee’s event in Pittsburgh has come and gone, and there’s still no announcement from Rodgers. It’s hard to find the next deadline on the football calendar.
Voluntary workouts start in a week and a half, as Pelissero mentioned. It certainly doesn’t seem like Rodgers would make it to those even if he signs. Maybe OTAs in May, but Mike Tomlin himself has said that he wouldn’t worry about Rodgers until training camp.
As for the draft, the Pittsburgh is doing its due diligence on the quarterbacks in it. The Steelers have met with a few QBs, including some of their more realistic options. They include Jaxson Dart and Jalen Milroe, whom they spoke to at the NFL Combine. They’re even hosting Shedeur Sanders at their facility on Thursday. That’s a move that some people think could put Rodgers on the clock.
At some point, the Steelers are just going to need an answer. The sooner Rodgers makes a decision, the sooner the Steelers can move on with their offseason and start to build chemistry going into the season. The Steelers have been patient so far, but how much longer will that continue? Pelissero’s words allude a growing sense of frustration in the organization.
