There was a rumor circulating back in March that the Pittsburgh Steelers were giving Aaron Rodgers an April 21 deadline to decide whether he would be joining the team. But just days before this rumored deadline was about to pass, Rodgers joined The Pat McAfee Show to address his looming football decision.
Rodgers made it clear that his focus was on the issues in his personal life, and that football was an afterthought. The veteran quarterback also addressed whether the Steelers gave him a deadline to sign, to which he boomed that he doesn't owe anyone anything.
"Listen, this entire time I haven’t felt like I owed somebody any decision at some point. ... I’ve been upfront with them about that," Rodgers explained. "If you need to move on, call me, by all means. ... There’s been no deadline. And yeah, I’ve talked to Mike [Tomlin] many times."
If Rodgers' statements are true, this debunks the proposed idea that the Steelers organization would need a decision before the 2025 NFL Draft. That's not happening.
Instead, the drama could drag on for months.
The Pittsburgh Steelers must find a quarterback option not named Aaron Rodgers
Perhaps the Pittsburgh Steelers made a mistake not giving Aaron Rodgers an ultimatum (though it appears the answer would have been an emphatic 'no'). That might have been best for the team. At least they would have the freedom to move on without wondering if Rodgers might show up like a knight in shining armor just before the start of the season.
The Steelers can't wait around forever, especially with the NFL Draft kicking off next week. While a 41-year-old quarterback shouldn't have been enough for this team to alter its draft plans to begin with, they should look for alternatives as if Rodgers won't be part of the plan.
Unfortunately, this is an underwhelming quarterback class without many options who profile as franchise signal-callers. Still, if the Pittsburgh Steelers like a player like Colorado's Shedeur Sanders enough, he could give them an instant upgrade over what they have in Mason Rudolph.Mike Tomlin will do everything in his power to ensure the Pittsburgh Steelers have a successful 2025 season, but this team can't afford to let Aaron Rodgers dictate his own terms. It's time to turn the page.
