The Steelers Could Be Losing Patience in Their Wait for the Four-Time MVP
After receiving two unofficial deadlines from the Steelers and ignoring both, four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers has still not decided on his future in the NFL or with Pittsburgh. The Steelers did tender a right of first refusal to Rodgers on Tuesday, April 28th. Still, according to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, this is simply procedural and has nothing to do with the frustration of the situation. While the Steelers do have Will Howard currently taking snaps as the starting QB, and the former Ohio State quarterback has shown confidence in his ability to be the starter, it is surprising that the former Green Bay Packer still has not made a decision. Fans and the Steelers organization alike assumed a decision from the 42-year-old quarterback would have been made by now. With Howard's progression and head coach Mike McCarthy's interest in him, combined with rookie quarterback Drew Allar joining the team, the Steelers' interest in Rodgers may be fading fast.
When former Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin stepped down after the Steelers lost their wildcard matchup against the Houston Texans, many fans expected the franchise to go with someone young and likely new to the head-coaching role. With this assumption, it was that Rodgers would retire. However, when the Steelers hired Mike McCarthy as their next head coach, all signs pointed to the California native's return, as he had played under McCarthy for 13 seasons. At this stage, with Rodger's decision still hanging in the air, and two really developmental quarterbacks for one of the best quarterback developers to work with, Pittsburgh may be ready to move on from the former Super Bowl Champion for good. In an article published the morning of May 4th, Dulac said, "The Steelers have displayed saint-like patience waiting for Aaron Rodgers to say he is coming back for the 2026 season, even though a large portion of their fanbase doesn't agree with their approach. That patience could be starting to wear thin. The Steelers might not be so understanding if this drags on for two more weeks." While McCarthy has stated that they have not changed their pursuit of the six-foot-two Super Bowl champion, it seems as if that connection may simply fade away.
Both McCarthy and Steelers general manager Omar Khan have stated multiple times throughout the offseason that they are in contact with Rodgers. In their words, communication has been "healthy and consistent." While they've said that they're giving the Super Bowl MVP all the time he needs to make a decision, no one in the Steelers organization, especially not owner Art Rooney II, believed it would take this long for that decision to be made. Organized Team Activities, or OTAs, start two weeks from now, on May 18th. Rooney has stated that he wishes for a decision from the veteran quarterback before then, but the Steelers' newly signed head coach would prefer that Rodgers not be present at OTAs or minicamp, to allow the young guys to get more reps. Dulac also writes that "After waiting this long, it is a foregone conclusion that the Steelers will continue to wait for Rodgers. They have been under the impression that he wants to return and have not been given any indication to think otherwise. Still, his inability to make a decision and sign a new contract has created a measure of annoyance that goes beyond the team's fanbase." While the Steelers will not benefit from delaying their wait for the 2005 first-round pick, it is undeniable that they expected him to have either retired or signed with the team by now. Regardless, the Steelers will soon have to decide whether to continue their wait for Rodgers or take a risk with Howard or Allar.
