The Pittsburgh Steelers’ spring practices are here. And yet, Aaron Rodgers is not. The team’s OTAs beginning today are voluntary in nature and Rodgers remains a free agent, giving him no obligation to show up. But Rodgers can’t have his cake and eat it, too. Be the Steelers’ starting quarterback and do so on his own terms. Everyone has a different decision deadline. Failing Rodgers showing up later Tuesday, the Steelers’ line should be today.
Rodgers is 41 years old. A 20-year veteran. A future Hall of Famer. Maybe he doesn’t need this work. Clearly, he doesn’t, otherwise he’d have shown up or be en route to Pittsburgh right now. You know who needs the work? Everyone else prepared to play with him. The receivers to get timing down. The offensive line to get a feel for how Rodgers navigates the pocket. Running backs to take handoffs. Valuable reps to create foundation in the spring so everyone hits the ground running come training camp. For a one-year rental, there’s no time to waste.
If and when he comes to Pittsburgh, Rodgers brings a high bar. He expects detail bordering on perfection. It’s what has made him the four-time MVP that he is. It’s why his young receivers tend to struggle. These must know every sight adjustment, audible, and hand signal Rodgers could deploy at the line of scrimmage. If he’s chilling at home, or anywhere but the South Side, it’s time lost to gain that understanding.
Imagine being Roman Wilson and Rodgers calls him out in September for missing a check, as he’s been willing to publicly do with wideouts. Maybe we would’ve been on the same page if you were here in June. That’s how a guy like Wilson might think. He wouldn’t be wrong.
The vast majority of the roster will attend OTAs and nearly everyone on the offense will be there. Perhaps old head veteran defenders like Cam Heyward, Minkah Fitzpatrick, and T.J. Watt might miss some time (Watt is also entering a contract year and may not show to put a little public pressure on the team) but the offense is young with few established named. They’ll be in Pittsburgh working. Rodgers won’t.
Instead, everyone attending will be forced to answer a barrage of Rodgers-related questions. Is he signing? Do you want him here? Are you Team Aaron or Team Mason? It puts the players in the awkward spot of having to answer for and about Rodgers while he’s away. It’s unfair that their potential and likely quarterback, who should serve as the offensive captain, leader, and main media go-between, is putting the rest of the roster in that position.
Taken at his word, Rodgers has delayed his decision due to personal reasons. I respect and believe him. Him appearing on the Joe Rogan podcast or a concert doesn’t invalidate that. He can deal with personal issues and have a life. Everyone walks that balancing act.
However, it’s in-bounds to call out the optics of Rodgers being able to take those trips and attend those events but unable to attend three Steelers’ practices this week. A schedule that would still allow him to fly home Thursday and return Tuesday if he needed to be home and support friends or family. All while having a six-week layoff from mid-June to training camp in late July.
It’s fair to give Rodgers grace and time. The Steelers clearly have. But at some point, Rodgers has to return that favor with a decision before OTAs began. Perhaps he’s still contemplating his future, unsure if he wants to play this season. It would run counter to the hints he dropped during his Q&A session but if true, begs the question if Pittsburgh should remain interested if Rodgers hasn’t yet committed himself to another full season.
NFL players, especially quarterbacks, can’t dip their toes into the water. They must be all-in.
If Aaron Rodgers was a 10-year vet in Pittsburgh, a spring absence would be more palatable. He’s not. He’s brand new to Arthur Smith’s system and the Steelers’ franchise. He doesn’t have the sweat equity to skip. Pursuing a new contract, Cam Heyward missed last year’s OTAs but he’s put in blood, sweat, and tears for the franchise. A player who pushed through an unhealed groin injury to gut out the second half of the 2023 season. And even heappeared for at least one day. Name another quarterback across the other 31 franchises who isn’t there. Pittsburgh’s the outlier.
Rodgers hasn’t earned the right to dictate when he wants to show up.
As much criticism that gets sent his direction, Russell Wilson put in the work. He did everything, even to a meme-level of intensity. An on-brand choice, he’s wearing game pants during Giants’ practices. But there was no question or doubt over his commitment and willingness to put his hand in the pile. The same stood true for Justin Fields, who put his head down, worked, and never complained.
To pivot from that to Rodgers is a change returning Steelers’ players will feel and can’t be happy about. All while Mason Rudolph is well-liked and putting in the work. Only to be pushed out whenever Rodgers bothers to fly into town.
Rodgers needs to be in Pittsburgh. Today. The fact that doesn’t seem to be happening should raise serious red flags in the Steelers’ front office. At a point the team is quickly approaching, this pursuit turns into silly desperation. Chasing someone not showing indications of wanting to be in Pittsburgh.
All owner Art Rooney II can do is repeat his line of the team waiting a “little longer.” Words of a franchise not in control of the situation and at the player’s mercy, looking like they’re being played for the fool each day that goes by.
It was fine to wait in March. It was fine to wait into April. It was even fine to wait through the draft knowing that any quarterback target there was a long-term plan, not the short-term solution Rodgers is intended to be. Reaching this point feels like a bridge too far.
The Steelers are operating with a sunk cost fallacy. We’ve waited this long for Rodgers, might as well keep waiting. It’s the same mindset of someone at the poker table, unable to cut their losses and playing until they’re made whole. Instead, they dig a deeper and more desperate trench.
Yes, Rodgers is the best quarterback available. Yes, the Steelers’ odds of breaking their eight-year playoff drought with Mason Rudolph at the helm aren’t good. But quarterbacks are defined and evaluated beyond their play. They are faces of the franchise. They are leaders, they are counted on, they must be respected to have a chance to succeed. Rodgers has missed his clearest chance to prove he’s the guy.
After waiting for over two months, the clock is ticking. A deadline of next month’s mandatory minicamp must be set. Even still, it’s reasonable to argue Aaron Rodgers’ time is up and Pittsburgh should move on.
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