The Pittsburgh Steelers remain left with only Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson at the quarterback position for 2025 until Aaron Rodgers comes to a crucial decision. While taking a young and exciting rookie in the upcoming NFL Draft is still on the table for Omar Khan and the Steelers, their top priority currently seems to involve Rodgers. Recently, Steelers team captain Cam Heyward voiced his frustrations regarding the amount of time it has taken for Rodgers to come to a conclusion. Shortly after, Heyward cleared the air and explained how he has no issues with Rodgers, but that he’s ready for 2025.

On Friday, Chris Canty, a member of ESPN’s morning show, Unsportsmanlike, questionably called out Heyward and the Steelers for their handling of the Rodgers situation. By now, Pittsburgh is the clear frontrunner in the free agency race for Rodgers this offseason. The one thing that could be in the Steelers’ way of adding Rodgers to the team is his choice of entering retirement. After listening to Heyward explain his comments about Rodgers, Canty had a bizarre choice of words.

“Is Cam Heyward a defensive tackle or defensive back? ‘Cause I can’t tell with the way that he’s backpedaling right there with those comments, regarding the cleanup for what he first said about Aaron Rodgers,” Canty said on Friday. “You are showing that you are in a state of urgency, which you went on later that week to say.”

First and foremost, Heyward’s follow up comments about Rodgers actually served well and brought clarity to many fans, especially to those who truly wondered if he would be okay with the franchise signing Rodgers.

“That’s how the Pittsburgh Steelers should be operating because they are desert-thirsty for a quarterback. So, bro, you don’t have to clean that up. It is what it is. Aaron Rodgers is doing you all a disservice, by dragging this thing out. And, oh, by the way, you guys are still an option for him, even though you have made him a priority. That is an embarrassment for the Pittsburgh Steelers. And what Cam Heyward did the other day, I gotta say man, little bit soft.”

Canty made an obvious point that Khan and the Steelers are still in need of a true passer. Canty’s choice of words by calling Heyward, the 2023 Walter Payton Man of the Year, soft, seems very over dramatic and unfair to a captain that’s only trying to hold his team together.

No speaking figure or professional sports analyst should have any rationality of calling a player with Heyward’s resume soft. Heyward is one of the best defensive players not only in Pittsburgh, but the entire NFL has ever seen both on and off of the football field. Heyward isn’t the only member of the Steelers that has an opinion on the situation with Rodgers, but his voice carries tons of weight.

Steelers’ Future Seems Unpleasant With Handling Of Quarterback Situation

Whether Rodgers actually does decide to trot into the 2025 season with the Steelers, or they take a swing on a quarterback somewhat early in the 2025 NFL Draft, their seemingly uncomfortable handling of the quarterback dilemma should not have many fans feeling optimistic. The Steelers seem really far off from finding a franchise quarterback, and that’s just been one of the many reasons why they haven’t been successful in the postseason in recent years.

The Steelers need to either absolutely crush the rest of the 2025 offseason and find a suitable quarterback, or just prepare to find the next franchise quarterback in 2026.