As offseason applications start across the NFL, the Pittsburgh Steelers nonetheless do not know who their beginning quarterback is. Cease us for those who’ve heard this one earlier than, however Aaron Rodgers has been given free rein to be mercurial, discover his whims, and depart one in every of soccer’s proudest franchises within the lurch within the course of — this regardless of being advised explicitly that the crew desires him.
This comes after information that Rodgers didn’t meet with the Steelers to debate his future over the weekend. It was anticipated that the 2 sides would focus on the quarterback’s future, with Rodgers (hopefully) making his determination on Monday. That didn’t occur, and now the Steelers are pressured to attend for a solution as soon as extra. It’s a weird stage of energy they’ve afforded a participant who hasn’t made them demonstrably higher, and who may actively harm the franchise by taking part in in 2026 by making the crew adequate to forestall them touchdown a prime decide, however not adequate to actually make a run.
It’s nicely previous time for the Steelers to step up and get off this journey. They went via this whole canine and pony present with Rodgers final yr, who waited till June 6 of final yr to lastly signal with the Steelers and announce he could be taking part in within the 2025 season. The end result was patent mediocrity, as Rodgers completed along with his lowest landing whole for a full season, his lowest whole passing yards, and a career-low 6.7 yards-per-attempt.
Rodgers wasn’t horrible; he simply wasn’t price all the hassle it took to get him within the constructing. That’s much more pronounced in 2026 with one other season underneath his belt, extra room for regression, and the Steelers being at a turning level for the franchise. The worst mistake a crew could make is being unable to correctly consider their possibilities to compete, as a result of it might throw off your complete path of the franchise. The poster little one for this difficulty is the “aggressive rebuild” Minnesota Vikings, who have been neither capable of rebuild, nor be aggressive — each lacking the playoffs, and never touchdown a excessive sufficient draft decide that they might discover an influence participant.
The large danger the Steelers face is that by kowtowing to Rodgers and giving him the room to make the choice when he’s prepared, Pittsburgh may discover itself as a 9-8 or 10-7 crew, and fail to land a quarterback in one of many largest QB draft lessons in current reminiscence. That will flip this present passivity right into a multi-year downside with out a great way out of it.
When it comes all the way down to brass tacks: Aaron Rodgers is aware of precisely what he’s going to do. He’s recognized for months now, simply as he knew for months main as much as the 2025 season. Dragging it out, getting his title in headlines, slow-rolling the reveal on The Pat McAfee Present are all instruments to gasoline his ego, one which Rodgers persistently denies as if his “will he or received’t he” drama is a machination of the evil sports activities media, not him deliberately dragging out the method.
The Steelers deserved higher final yr. They definitely deserve higher now. Aaron Rodgers has performed in Pittsburgh, he is aware of the crew, he is aware of the offense, he intimately is aware of Mike McCarthy from their time collectively in Inexperienced Bay. There’s barely a call to make with regards to his return. Both Rodgers desires what the Steelers are bringing to the desk, or he doesn’t.
In selecting to not have a deadline the Steelers are opening themselves as much as being walked throughout. It screams to your complete NFL that they want Rodgers greater than he wants them, and that performs proper into the entire quarterback’s worst instincts. The right path ahead is apparent: Begin Drew Allar, see if he can carry something to the desk — and if he’s horrible, draft a brand new QB. It doesn’t have to be that sophisticated. It’s definitely not sophisticated sufficient to be sitting at a desk ready for Rodgers prefer it’s a primary date and praying they’re not getting stood up.
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