Steelers Face Sharp Warning Over Signing Aaron Rodgers

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Do the Pittsburgh Steelers still have to worry about the Minnesota Vikings when it comes to Aaron Rodgers?

Aaron Rodgers has yet to officially make a decision on whether to join the Pittsburgh Steelers for the coming season, but one analyst warns the team that signing the former league MVP could be a mistake.

ESPN’s Michael Wilbon criticized Rodgers for his approach to free agency, warning the Steelers that they could face the same circus that the quarterback brought to the New York Jets in his two seasons there.

Steelers Advised to Steer Clear of Aaron Rodgers

Wilbon gave credit to the Steelers as an organization that makes good and smart decisions over decades, which he said they would blow up by signing Rodgers.

“They’re making a mistake if they let him anywhere near their building,” Wilbon said, adding “Aaron Rodgers hasn’t been relevant as a quarterback in the NFL for four or five seasons.”

The ESPN commentator added that it appeared beyond reason that the Steelers would want the drama that Rodgers would bring to the organization.

“The Mike Tomlin we now, he’s going to deal with that nonsense? For a guy who can’t play?” Wilbon said.

But the Steelers may have left themselves with no other clear options at quarterback. The team didn’t pursue other top free agents like Sam Darnold and Geno Smith, instead bringing back veteran Mason Rudolph.

While Rodgers may have created some distractions off the field, he did bring strong play to the Jets last season. The veteran completed 63.0% of his passes for 3,897 yards with 28 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.

The organization was in turmoil during his tenure, firing both their head coach and general manager last season and enduring drama. Rodgers often pointed the finger at teammates and the organization for the struggles, while the Jets failed to materialize into the Super Bowl contender many had predicted when he initially signed in 2023.

Aaron Rodgers Signing Could Be Coming Soon

Though Rodgers has kept the Steelers waiting for months this offseason, an insider believes he could officially join the team sometime in the coming days. NFL insider Adam Schefter appeared on ESPN Milwaukee, saying he believes Rodgers will put pen to paper sometime before the start of the team’s mandatory practice schedule.

But even Schefter stressed that the projection was a guess and nothing more.

“My guess is he’s going to wind up (in Pittsburgh),” Schefter said on ESPN Milwaukee. “I think that we’ve heard Art Rooney, the team owner, say he expects Aaron Rodgers to sign there, and they have mandatory minicamp June 10-12, so I would think Rodgers is on the table here in the next week or so.”

Tim Benz of TribLive.com suggested that minicamp is an artificial deadline, one Rodgers has no obligation to follow.

“It’s also important to remember that minicamp is only ‘mandatory’ if a player is actually signed. It’s not like the Steelers can fine Aaron Rodgers for not being here if he isn’t actually a Steeler,” Benz wrote. “While, in theory, every other Steeler is supposed to be here for minicamp, on a personal level for Rodgers, that’s not as much of a deadline as we may think.”

Nathan Dougherty is a sports reporter covering the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions and Miami Dolphins. Previously he wrote for the Rochester Business Journal and served as the assistant editor of athletic trade magazines Coaching Management, Athletic Management and Training & Conditioning. He is based out of Rochester, New York, and loves everything football. More about Nathan Dougherty