As the Pittsburgh Steelers continue to pursue Aaron Rodgers, the possibilities remain the Steelers or the New York Giants. However, the third option is that Rodgers just retires. Former Steelers head coach Bill Cowher questioned just how much Rodgers still wants to play.
“Does he really want to play?” Cowher said on Tuesday’s The Dan Patrick Show. ”I mean the longer you wait, you just have to wonder where is his heart and how much does he really want to do? And I said, you know, I just think when somebody starts talking about retirement, they’ve already checked the box, so they’ve checked out to some degree. So how much has he nullified to want to come here and be a part of trying to win a championship and then consequently be a bridge to the next guy? These are conversations that you got to be convinced that that’s where his heart is at."
Former NFL general manager and Steelers executive Doug Whaley offered another cautionary tale for the Steelers on signing Rodgers. Rodgers, 41, has not publicly expressed any sentiment for retirement, but the drawn out process leaves some question on his desire to play.
‘We’re in Buffalo, and Percy Harvin gets cut from Minnesota," Whaley said. “And we call him to say, ‘Hey, we’re interested in you.’ And he goes, ‘I’m thinking about retiring.’ And then, at the time, Anthony Lynn was our running backs coach and I think our offensive coordinator. And he says, ‘I’d love to have him, but once you hear athletes start talking about retirement, they’ve already retired....If you start talking retirement at 41, is he going to be able to get over that thought process in his mind and able to give 110% for the entire season?"
The Bills signed Percy Harvin that season and he retired in Week 9. Harvin was 28 and had an injury-filled career, so it was different, but the injuries have stacked up for Rodgers in recent years, too.
That could leave Rodgers with some thoughts about a potential retirement, but he at least has interest in the Steelers ocniseeirng his visit to Pittsburgh. Still, the team needs to be sure he is all in before they ink him to a deal and give him the keys to the car as the quarterback.
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