There are some NFL groups you simply anticipate to reek of desperation of their need to get higher. The Pittsburgh Steelers shouldn’t be one among them. We’re virtually three months right into a back-and-forth saga with Aaron Rodgers which has led to one of many league’s proudest, most storied groups flip right into a fawning teenager with a crush.
It was unhappy earlier than, nevertheless it’s even worse now Terry Bradshaw is on the wagon of slamming his former workforce for his or her desperation in relation to Rodgers.
“That’s a joke. That to me is only a joke,” Bradshaw stated. “What are you going to do? Carry him in for one 12 months, 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.”
Bradshaw is true, properly, form of. We will respect wanting Rodgers to vanish into the California wilderness to eat bark with out taking a shot at a non-Judeo-Christian religions. Nonetheless, Bradshaw’s frustrations echo every thing that’s been improper with this whole course of for Pittsburgh, specifically that they’re so determined it’s dragging every thing down.
The Steelers woeful quarterback issues are one of many biggest unforced errors within the NFL. Drafting Kenny Pickett was actually dangerous, however following that up by buying and selling for Justin Fields and signing Russell Wilson, watching them each play completely high-quality soccer — then letting each stroll in free company is past the pale. This was a franchise that had two birds within the hand, and allow them to each go to chase the one within the bush, one which’s listening to audio recordings of penguin orgies on a Microsoft Zune.
Desperation by Pittsburgh has led to Rodgers’ favourite factor in your complete world: Being within the headlines. As a lot as Rodgers likes to fake he hates being the focal point, he completely loves getting on a Zoom name with Pat McAfee each week and get requested about his future, whereas A.J. Hawk sits frozen, exhibiting as a lot emotion as Olmec the stone statue in Legends of the Hidden Temple. Rodgers is a person who lives for this, and dominating the NFL information cycle on the slowest a part of the calendar play precisely into his arms. It is a man who enjoys breaking issues for enjoyable, like a bored home cat batting a vase off a shelf. He desires to see issues break into items, then the second you take a look at him for performing up he’ll flip his head as if nothing ever occurred.
The Steelers are higher than this, or not less than they need to be. This franchise ought to have GM Omar Khan entrance and middle saying the workforce has little interest in Rodgers. Shut this complete stupidity down. It doesn’t assist when workforce president Artwork Rooney II is making it so clear the workforce is determined for Rodgers to return their calls.
#Steelers president Artwork Rooney II — who stated April 1 that the Steelers will wait “not ceaselessly, however a short time longer” for Aaron Rodgers — delivered an identical line on his approach out of Wednesday’s homeowners conferences.
“A short time longer. I’ll say the identical factor,” he stated.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) Might 22, 2025
We’re speaking in regards to the beginning quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers right here, not haggling on Fb market over the worth of a used air fryer. Overlook the legacy for a second, it is a rattling back-to-back playoff workforce. Your complete cause Rodgers received’t commit is as a result of he’s scared. He’s terrified about exhibiting the world what he already is aware of: He simply doesn’t have it anymore. With the Jets he might wave it off as points with the offensive line, accidents to Breece Corridor — neglect that he hand picked your complete offense round him, it was all the time going to be their fault.
In Pittsburgh he can’t try this. Rodgers doesn’t have these arguments to fall again on, as a result of this workforce made it to the playoffs with a Fields/Wilson tandem a 12 months in the past. If he can’t not less than meet that stage of success will probably be an abject failure, an indictment on his legacy, and show that he isn’t Tom Brady or Matthew Stafford who can win a hoop because the lacking piece, however slightly that he limped into obscurity like Joe Montana in a Chiefs’ jersey.
There’s a really clear path ahead for the Steelers if they’ve the center to take it: Make a rattling take care of Atlanta for Kirk Cousins. Should you’re this determined to get a veteran QB who is perhaps an improve, may as properly get a man with a sufficiently big arm left to reap the benefits of D.Okay. Metcalf. Lest we neglect that previous to getting injured in Week 10, Cousins had thrown 17 touchdowns and solely 7 interceptions. He was taking part in rattling good soccer and led Atlanta to a 6-3 document.
Pittsburgh has $28M in efficient cap house, Cousins has a $40M cap determine. Make a deal, have the Falcons eat half a bit of the cash this season to get below the cap, and growth, finished. No extra hand wringing, no extra desperation, no extra oxygen within the room for Rodgers to swallow.
That’s what the Steelers ought to do, however there’s no signal they are going to. As an alternative they’ll preserve saying their prayers each night time that Aaron may name tomorrow. The largest challenge isn’t that Pittsburgh doesn’t have a quarterback, it’s that they lack a backbone.
