Aaron Rodgers' visit to the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex on Friday signaled the saga between himself and the Pittsburgh Steelers could be coming to an end sooner rather than later. Still, no deal was reached during that meeting, and the details that emerged seemed to point to an exploratory meeting rather than one to hammer out final details.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the meeting lasted six hours on Friday. Tom Pelissero of NFL Network added that financial terms were never discussed, instead, it was the two sides getting to know each other.
Rodgers met with head coach Mike Tomlin, general manager Omar Khan, and offensive coordinator Arthur Smith. On top of the meeting, the Steelers and Rodgers have had parameters set on a contract for weeks, Pelissero added. That means that Rodgers simply has to decide to sign the contract at some point, but the New York Giants remain involved.
The Giants signed quarterback Jameis Winston on Friday night to a two-year deal. Despite initial speculation that could pull the Giants out of the Rodgers sweepstakes, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reported the Giants remain very in on Rodgers. Rodgers has yet to visit East Rutherford, but with no rush to make his decision, could choose to do that next week.
The Steelers' visit with Rodgers went well and both sides came out of thinking positively about each other, Schefter reported. Earlier this week, the Steelers and Rodgers opened a line of communication with one another after things had largely been silent the week prior, and it seems Rodgers is nearing a decision.
The deadline for any Rodgers decision is the week before the NFL Draft. That is when the Steelers and Giants start their offseason programs. April 21 is when both teams will report for voluntary workouts, and while Rodgers might not be there, the players will at least want to learn his hand signals and concepts he might like to run.
With recent developments, it seems the 41-year-old Rodgers is getting close to that ultimate decision. Of course, the Giants and Steelers seem like the two teams in it. Pelissero reported on Wednesday the Minnesota Vikings are all in on J.J. McCarthy and pulled out of the sweepstakes. They are now focusing on Ryan Tannehill.
Dianna Russini of The Athletic says Rodgers' offer from the Giants is more lucrative than the one the Steelers have on the table.
Yet, for the 41-year-old coming off a year where he led the New York Jets to a 5-12 record, he is looking for a place where he can win. Rodgers threw for 28 touchdowns and 11 interceptions while battling knee and hamstring injuries throughout the season.
Ultimately, the Steelers and Giants seem content to wait on Rodgers. They each have contingency plans in Winston and Mason Rudolph. So, while there is no clear timeline for Rodgers to decide, there is a soft deadline about a month away, and Rodgers' activity has picked up over the week.
The Steelers will continue to wait and they have scouted some quarterbacks in the 2025 NFL Draft. They met with Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe before his pro day on Wednesday. Tyler Shough came to the facility on a pre-draft visit.
Simply put, Pittsburgh has other plans if they do not land Rodgers, but for now, the wait continues. With an offer out and no money being discussed, it is simply Rodgers' mind that has to be made up at this point.
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