The Pittsburgh Steelers are still waiting on word from Aaron Rodgers, having already offered him a contract. Rather than commit to Justin Fields or Russell Wilson, they are hoping for something different, yet with the same goal. The Steelers are hoping to get from Rodgers, Gerry Dulac speculates, what they wanted out of Wilson: a playoff win.
“I think it’s the same situation as Russell Wilson last year”, he told Rich Eisen of the Steelers’ pursuit of Aaron Rodgers. “Bring in a proven guy, who’s won a Super Bowl, who’s probably headed to the Hall of Fame, to try to immediately get this thing back on track by winning a playoff game”.
The Steelers surprised everybody last year when they pursued Wilson, later trading for Fields. Onlookers expected more of the same, perhaps Mason Rudolph competing with Kenny Pickett to start. Instead, they turned over the entire room, and if Aaron Rodgers signs, the Steelers will have done it again.
To nobody’s surprise, they determined that Kenny Pickett wouldn’t end their playoff doldrums. Russell Wilson was like a found lottery ticket, thanks to his unique contract situation. Unfortunately for the Steelers, Aaron Rodgers is a full-price version of the Russell Wilson gambit of a year ago.
But they’re trying, and that’s what fans want—or part of it. The lesser part. What fans want is for them to start winning again, and they didn’t see another year of Wilson as conducive to that. Neither did the Steelers—hence the pursuit of Rodgers.
“The immediacy is still a big point of emphasis for them”, Dulac said. The Steelers last won a playoff game in 2016, and they haven’t been to the Super Bowl since Aaron Rodgers beat them in 2010. “Bring in a guy that can immediately get them back on track. Not be a Super Bowl contender, necessarily, because I don’t think they’re that. But how about winning a playoff game? And I think that’s where they are”.
And here we are, waiting for the white smoke, or whatever color the herbs he smokes produce. The Steelers didn’t sit idly while they wait for Rodgers, though. They signed Mason Rudolph yesterday, agreeing on a two-year, $8 million contract. Obviously, they view him as a backup, but I think it gives them comfort, feeling somewhat protected if things fall completely off the rails.
The real question is whether the Steelers’ current strategy is doing more harm than good. Are they in a position where they can push for one season just to win a playoff game, or will they keep falling short because they are not getting bad enough to get better?
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