Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin has made it clear that he’s not rushing Aaron Rodgers to decide whether he’ll play in the upcoming NFL season. Tomlin shared his stance during the NFL owners meetings, stating that while he enjoyed meeting Rodgers when he visited the team’s facility earlier this month, he has no plans to impose a deadline.
“Deadlines don’t often bring that to a head,” Tomlin said, emphasizing that there’s no urgency, even with the NFL draft approaching in less than four weeks and the Steelers holding the 21st overall pick.
Rodgers, a four-time MVP and free agent for the first time in his 20-year career, has been linked to teams like Minnesota and the New York Giants. However, the Giants are no longer in the picture after signing quarterbacks Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston. The Vikings also seem to have their quarterback situation settled with J.J. McCarthy returning from an injury that sidelined him during his rookie season.
The real question appears to be whether Rodgers wants to play in Pittsburgh—or if he wants to play at all. The Steelers recently re-signed Mason Rudolph to a two-year deal, and their only other quarterback on the roster is former Miami Dolphin Skylar Thompson. This leaves plenty of room for adding new talent, both in terms of roster space and salary cap flexibility.
“We’re optimistic about the room that we’re constructing,” Tomlin stated, adding, “But certainly we’re going to continue to explore all our options in terms of rounding that room out.”
Tomlin and Rodgers have had a mutual appreciation for each other over the years, with several on-field interactions during games that quickly gained attention. Tomlin described Rodgers’ visit as “a really good day,” even though it ended without a deal being reached.
Since Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement in 2021, the Steelers have been searching for stability at the quarterback position, cycling through five quarterbacks in three years while still making the playoffs twice—though both appearances ended in early exits.
Whoever takes the reins will have the opportunity to throw passes to wide receiver DK Metcalf, acquired in a trade with Seattle three weeks ago. Tomlin expressed high expectations for Metcalf, calling him both a “big asset” and praising his work ethic and leadership qualities.
“It’s not only in terms of the tangible things that he brings, but there’s an awesome intangible quality to him as a worker and as a man that’s equally exciting,” Tomlin said.
