The NFL world is watching the Pittsburgh Steelers wait. As their endurance for Aaron Rodgers nears its third month with no indicators of the group setting a deadline for him to supply his reply, some within the media are questioning the group’s plan. Particularly as Rodgers himself appears to be teasing his future all whereas remaining unsigned with the Steelers’ starting practices Tuesday.
Reacting to Rodgers’ newest trace at a query and reply session at an Austin, Texas live performance, USA Immediately reporter Mike Freeman questioned Pittsburgh.
“Why would the Steelers put up with this?”
It’s a sentiment shared by loads of Steelers’ followers. Even when Rodgers intends on signing with Pittsburgh, there’s a wide-open query of when. Ought to he skip the group’s upcoming OTAs and necessary minicamp in mid-June, it’ll be much more justified to query Rodgers’ dedication to a group he has put no sweat fairness into. All whereas Steelers’ gamers are pressured to reply questions over Rodgers’ future and the group’s beginning quarterbacks.
“I imagine there’s a group which may play in Chicago this 12 months,” Rodgers mentioned in the course of the live performance when requested if he would ever play for the Bears. “Highway journey. I don’t know, undecided. Should test it out.”
Pittsburgh performs in Chicago Week 12, creating straightforward hypothesis that Rodgers is implying he’ll signal with the Steelers for 2025.
As Rodgers has proven all through his profession, he marches to his personal beat and largely tunes out media noise. He solely engages when he desires to criticize narratives about him. It makes his subsequent transfer, and when he’ll make it, unpredictable to the purpose the place even NFL insiders like Adam Schefter and Ian Rapoport at a loss.
Pittsburgh has “put up” with Rodgers as a result of of their thoughts, he’s the final viable full-time beginning quarterback left. In an effort to win their first playoff recreation since 2016, the Steelers are keen to expertise the angst of a hurry-up-and-wait summer season for a affluent fall and winter.
But when the wait continues by way of June and into July, even the Steelers’ endurance will likely be examined. With every day and milestone of the offseason calendar passing by, extra NFL media will be a part of Freeman’s exasperation.