The Pittsburgh Steelers are still letting quarterback Aaron Rodgers take his sweet old time.
In a story published Wednesday night, Fox Sports NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported the Steelers are willing to wait on Rodgers, who’s still determining whether he’ll retire or sign elsewhere. Schultz added, “Money isn’t an issue.”
The Steelers, however, shouldn’t let Rodgers continue to drag his feet. If it does, Pittsburgh may miss out on signing another veteran QB.
On Monday, Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported Russell Wilson would still like to re-sign with the Steelers, even though he’s met with the Cleveland Browns and New York Giants.
Joe Flacco — who won Super Bowl XLVII with the Baltimore Ravens during the 2012 season — is also still a free agent.
While neither of these QBs would be the answer, they may be a better option than Mason Rudolph, who has a 9-8-1 starting record in the regular season in seven seasons with the Steelers and Tennessee Titans.
Wilson, 36, went 6-5 in 11 starts with Pittsburgh in 2024, tossing 16 touchdown passes and five interceptions.
In eight games with the Indianapolis Colts in 2024, Flacco, 40, completed 65.3% of his passes, throwing 12 TD passes and seven interceptions.
Rodgers would be worth waiting for if the four-time MVP were still playing at an elite level. At 41, though, he looks like he’s nearing the end of his career. In 17 starts with the New York Jets in 2024, he went 5-12 and posted a below-average 48 QBR.
Plus, with Rodgers already considering retirement, that potentially raises questions about his dedication.
“The longer you wait, the more you have to wonder, where is his heart?” former Steelers head coach and current CBS Sports analyst Bill Cowher said Tuesday on “The Dan Patrick Show.” “I always think when somebody starts talking about retirement, they’ve already checked the box.”
With that in mind, the Steelers should ditch their pursuit of Rodgers. He may come with too many questions and no longer turn a team into an instant Super Bowl contender.
