With it being neither dead nor facing a deadline, the idea of Aaron Rodgers signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers remains in limbo.
After Rodgers’ release by the New York Jets and Justin Fields signing there, the dots began to be connected to him playing for the Steelers on March 10. Two weeks later former Steelers’ quarterback Russell Wilson signed with the New York Giants, heating up the conversation. Rodgers then reportedly had a throwing session with new Pittsburgh receiver DK Metcalf at UCLA March 30.
But since then – for two-plus weeks – crickets.
The Athletic reported Wednesday that talks are essentially dormant, even with the draft only a week away and only Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson as quarterbacks on the Steelers’ roster.
“I spoke to Pittsburgh this morning,” Dianna Russini said on The Herd With Colin Cowherd. “No updates. Think about this. We’re a week out from the NFL Draft and they have no idea whether or not Aaron Rodgers is going to sign with them.”
Rodgers is a four-time MVP with a Hall-of-Fame resume, but Steelers fans – and former players – are getting fed up with him exploiting his leverage to essentially hold Pittsburgh hostage.
“I mean, it makes me sick, to be honest,” Ryan Clark said on Wednesday’s Get Up! on ESPN. “Unless (general manager) Omar Khan has some sort of promise or some sort of lean on Aaron Rodgers believing that he is going to come back and play football and if he does make that decision, he’s going to be a Pittsburgh Steeler.”
Clark doesn’t like how the situation has played out, saying it’s been mishandled. Outside of the draft, there is no clear solution for the Steelers.
“I feel like this has been mishandled already,” Clark said. “I feel like to be waiting, right, or to be held hostage by a former quarter – or a former quarterback of the New York Jets has actually never done anything for you. What has Aaron Rodgers done in the last two years or since leaving Green Bay that says he should be afforded this type of time that says that you should give them a sort of respect that keeps your franchise at bay?”
Steelers’ head coach Mike Tomlin has repeatedly said, however, that he doesn’t like to live by deadlines. So …
