How long is Pittsburgh going to wait on Rodgers to make a decision? "Well, not forever,'' owner Art Rooney said.
Pittsburgh Steelers critics are wondering why the team isn't standing up to Aaron Rodgers as the faded four-time NFL MVP is, in a sense, holding the franchise hostage.
In the end, this can all end up positively ... and that's part of what team owner Art Rooney II is saying when he states that he believes all the signs are pointing in the direction of Rodgers signing with the club ... sometime soon.
But when?
“We keep hearing that he’s headed in our direction,” Rooney said Tuesday morning at the NFL owners meetings at The Breakers resort in Florida. “I’d say we feel pretty good about it at this time.”
Fans can choose to accept that as a "glass is half-full' take.
But ... there is a weird timetable turn that comes with it.
Rodgers, the self-named "Enigma'' dumped by the New York Jets after two failed "experimental'' seasons (read here), recently visited Steelers team headquarters and reportedly received a contract offer from the team. Rooney wasn't present for that session but has spoken with the 41-year-old QB by phone.
“We talked about Pittsburgh and all the Pittsburgh coaches he's had over the years,” Rooney said. “And we've talked about Greenfield, and how much he knows about Greenfield [from former Packers coach Mike McCarthy, a native of that part of the city].
"And so we had a good conversation.”
But here's the part that's not so "good'': Rooney seems to be getting a bit antsy about all of this ... and justifiably so.
How long is the owner going to wait on Rodgers to make a decision?
"Well, not forever,'' Rooney said, adding, "but a little while longer.''
Another of the positive signs is Rodgers contacting newly-acquired Steelers' wide receiver D.K. Metcalf as the two got together for a workout. But Pittsburgh can't hang its hat on that alone.
“I didn’t envision it taking this long,” Rooney said frankly ... to which we respond?
It's Aaron Rodgers. He does what he wants to do. Get ready for that, Steelers.
