The Pittsburgh Steelers are in limbo, cast between quarterbacks Mason Rudolph and Aaron Rodgers. They aren’t without a preference. At this point in the offseason, Rodgers wouldn’t have an offer if anyone felt that the longtime backup was the better option.
But Rodgers’ lack of commitment has defined the Steelers’ offseason. Some will take his hesitation as a reason to pivot away, others are willing to wait as long as it takes for an upgrade under center.
Either way, Pittsburgh will enter Memorial Day weekend without the Canton-bound quarterback, giving everybody time to craft an opinion on the issue.
Even Rodgers’ former coach, Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur, made a prediction about the Steelers’ chances at signing Rodgers.
"I'm pretty sure they know what they're doing," LaFleur said on "Up & Adams." "I'm sure they're confident in what they're doing. I would fully expect him to be a Pittsburgh Steeler."
Teams aren’t exactly eager to go into a season without a real plan under center. It isn’t immediately clear why Rodgers would want a handshake deal only to remain unsigned through much of May.
Still, Pittsburgh hasn’t shown much urgency at the position. Rudolph was signed to a two-year, $7.5 million deal that is par for the course for backups. Howard was drafted in the sixth round, after the team passed on Shedeur Sanders multiple times.
The Steelers don’t (publicly) know if Rodgers is coming to Western Pennsylvania. But they are acting like a team that knows Rodgers is going to sign.
Trading receiver George Pickens adds to their 2026 haul of picks, but it also gives Rodgers a more detail-oriented starter. Pittsburgh still traded for Seattle Seahawks receiver DK Metcalf to keep the 2025 offense afloat.
The Pittsburgh faithful don’t know what the Steelers will ultimately do under center. For those looking at an optimistic interpretation of Rodgers’ free agency, it isn’t necessarily hard to find.