A contract settlement between Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers virtually feels inevitable at this level, which is far to the chagrin of one of many franchise’s all-time greats.
NFL on FOX analyst Terry Bradshaw criticized his former group’s curiosity in Rodgers during an appearance on 103.7 The Buzz’s “Morning Mayhem” in Arkansas, calling it a “joke.”
“That is a joke. That to me is only a joke,” Bradshaw stated. “What are you going to do? Deliver him in for one yr. Are you kidding me? That man wants to remain in California. Go someplace and chew on bark and whisper to the Gods on the market.”
Rodgers has been linked to the Steelers ever since free company opened in March. Whereas the 2 sides have not agreed to a deal fairly but, each events have indicated that they are hopeful a contract settlement will occur sooner or later. In truth, Rodgers dropped one other trace over the weekend that he is prone to find yourself in Pittsburgh for the 2025 NFL season.
As for the Steelers’ aspect, president Artwork Rooney II instructed reporters on the league conferences final week that that group is prepared to attend “a short time longer” for Rodgers to make his resolution. In April, Rooney instructed Steelers Nation Radio that Rodgers “does need to come right here.”
The Steelers’ entanglement with Rodgers is simply the most recent swing they’ve made at quarterback since Ben Roethlisberger retired on the finish of the 2021 season. They introduced in veterans Russell Wilson and Justin Fields previous to the 2024 season in hopes that both would elevate their roster, which had made the postseason the yr prior.
Wilson helped Pittsburgh make the playoffs once more in 2024, however he faltered down the stretch, main the group to let him to stroll in free company. Nonetheless, Bradshaw thinks the most important mistake the Steelers have made at quarterback over the previous couple of years was their improvement of 2022 first-round decide Kenny Pickett, who was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles in 2024.
Kenny Pickett threw 15 touchdowns to 14 interceptions over 30 video games with the Steelers. (Picture by Sarah Stier/Getty Photographs)
“I appreciated Kenny Pickett,” Bradshaw stated. “I appreciated him at Pitt. I do know him, I do know what he is like. Once they received him to Pittsburgh, they did not shield him, they did not get him an offensive line. They needed to run the soccer, however they did not have an offensive line that might shield and so they did not have weapons. He had no huge receivers to talk of.”
“Then they throw a child in there for 2 years, and you have an offense that does not match and would not work, and so they cannot run as a result of their offensive line’s not even ok for a run-blocking group. Now, they’re saying Kenny Pickett is a failure. He wasn’t a failure, the Steelers have been a failure.”
FOX Sports activities’ Colin Cowherd appears to agree with Bradshaw in regards to the Steelers’ method to the quarterback place over the previous couple of years. On Wednesday’s “The Herd,” Cowherd famous that Rodgers is opting to take a seat out voluntary practices whereas different star quarterbacks, reminiscent of Josh Allen, are nonetheless practising with their respective groups. However he additionally thinks the Steelers aren’t innocent in failing to get Rodgers signed at this level, both.
“Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers have one thing in frequent: Neither takes the responsibility of quarterback with nice urgency,” Cowherd stated. “Each the Steelers and Aaron have a ‘We’ll get to it will definitely,’ ‘I’ll signal with a group finally’ or ‘We’ll work out the quarterback finally’ [approach]. Take into consideration San Francisco and Kyle Shanahan, they simply signed Brock Purdy to an enormous deal and but, this yr within the draft, Kyle says, ‘I would like one other quarterback’ and so they draft a child out of Indiana. The Green Bay Packers, they draft quarterbacks three years earlier than they allow them to see the sphere.
“The Pittsburgh Steelers misplaced their left deal with, their high two quarterbacks, their high receiver and a extremely good operating again in Najee Harris, and their reply is, ‘Eh, we predict Aaron’s our quarterback, however we’re not likely certain.’ The Steelers have turn out to be the 66-year-old man who has by no means put a penny in his 401K and is attempting to persuade us that [he’s got a plan].”
For a lot of the offseason, Cowherd had questioned Rodgers’ match with the Steelers and puzzled if he and head coach Mike Tomlin would mesh. After Bradshaw’s tackle the state of affairs, although, he is reconsidered that stance.
“I had an epiphany. I had been saying Aaron and the Steelers are a nasty match. I am improper. It is an important match,” Cowherd stated. “In life, what is the rule? You have to discover somebody who matches your vitality? The Steelers at quarterback: ‘We’ll get to it.’ Aaron on committing: ‘Eh, possibly later.’
“I’m right here for the dysfunction. The entire time, I have been like, ‘It is a bizarre match.’ There is a purpose the Steelers are close to the highest of the NFL in longest playoff win droughts. … Greater than ever, it is a lot simpler to foretell who’s going to win every division primarily based on who has the most effective quarterback, does he have a superb offensive coach and do they deal with the place with significance and urgency. Steelers do not, Aaron would not. It is a match made in heaven.”
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