As the NFL draft approaches next week, NFL teams are jockeying for their position in the process and perhaps behind closed doors arranging trades with other teams to modify their scheduled picks in the draft. All 32 teams have holes they want to fill but for the Pittsburgh Steelers they have been the water cooler talk for months. That’s because they made the decision to not re-sign quarterbacks Justin Fields and Russell Wilson.
Without their two starters former Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph was brought back into the fold after a one-year hiatus in Tennessee. But the big story of the offseason was the wooing of Aaron Rodgers fresh off his release from the New York Jets. The Steelers, Minnesota Vikings, and the New York Giants all showed interest in signing the Super Bowl winning QB. However, the Vikings told the world they are no longer interested in Rodgers and instead will take their chances with J.J. McCarthy. The Giants signed Russell Wilson so that they ended their pursuit of Rodgers. That leaves only the Pittsburgh Steelers.
On April 18th of this year, Rodgers made an appearance on the Pat McAfee show, a venue that seems to be Aaron Rodgers’ favorite stomping ground. Despite being offered a contract from the Steelers, Rodgers explained to the audience the reasons why he has not decided on his future. What the former Jet and Packers quarterback said was he is in a serious personal relationship and several people that are close to him are going through some tough issues and that he is focusing on that.
So, do we blame Rodgers for holding the Steelers hostage until he decides his fate? That question was posed to him by McAfee and Rodgers said outright that is not the case and he has been forthright about his feelings and situation from the get-go. So, while I am a diehard Steelers fan and have learned that many Steelers fans have the same opinion about this situation, initially I was blaming Aaron Rodgers for keeping the Steelers hanging without an established starting quarterback.
However, I now place the entire blame for this mess squarely on the shoulders of the entire Pittsburgh Steelers organization, primarily between Art Rooney II, Omar Khan, and head coach Mike Tomlin. In a word, the Steelers are being STUPID. The fact that Rodgers mentioned retirement is on the table should be plenty of fuel for Khan and Tomlin to say enough is enough and tell Rodgers decide today or walk away. On ESPN’s show Unsportsmanlike, former NFL player Chris Canty said Hall of Fame head coach Bill Parcells once said, “if you mention retirement, you are retired.”
What that means is that listening to Aaron Rodgers on the McAfee show absolutely is evidence that his heart is not into football nor playing for the Steelers. He is certainly not committed to the game and is focusing only on himself and his situation. Surprise…surprise. Rodgers has been accused of being a narcissist and boy did he prove it on April 17.
As a Steelers fan I’m ready to hand the starting job to Mason Rudolph who has shown skills in the past while with the Steelers and then use their 21st pick in the draft to find that next franchise quarterback. Also, in the mix there should be some trade talk with the Atlanta Falcons and try to bring in Kirk Cousins. San Francisco might be a good phone call as well to see if they are willing to part ways with Brock Purdy.
The bottom line for me and what should be for Steelers Nation is that this whole situation is incredibly embarrassing. Art Rooney II, Omar Khan, and Mike Tomlin will be held accountable for this fiasco and possible train wreck that could develop if Aaron Rodgers comes aboard. I’ve said in the past that the Pittsburgh Steelers will not win another Super Bowl without an elite quarterback. Mike Tomlin and Art Rooney II seem hell bent on finding a way to win a playoff game no matter the cost or circumstance.
When this clown show began, I said that if Aaron Rodgers becomes Pittsburgh’s starting quarterback and the Steelers fail to make the playoffs or if they do and yet lose another first round game, then this failure will be on the shoulders of the three stooges that are Rooney, Khan, and Tomlin. With that scenario, Rooney should then fire Khan and Tomlin. I’ve always tried to support Mike Tomlin but he has become glaringly soft.
The last word is this…while I dislike Aaron Rodgers in every sense of the word, I remove all blame on him for this situation because he is not holding the Steelers hostage. Pittsburgh themselves are holding their organization hostage creating a situation that is not fair to the current players on the team and certainly causing utter frustration throughout their fan base.
Again, this is an embarrassment for a Steelers organization that prides itself on a rich history, good coaching, and trying to keep the team competitive with the goal of winning a championship. Right now, the Pittsburgh Steelers are nowhere near displaying the character we have been accustomed to since they first made the playoffs in 1972. This should be the year of change especially if we experience another failed season.
