Some people might be anxiously waiting for Aaron Rodgers to make up his mind about whether he’s going to play this upcoming season.
Mike Tomlin is not among them.
The Pittsburgh Steelers coach told reporters at the NFL’s owners meetings that while he enjoyed spending some time with the four-time league MVP when Rodgers visited the team’s facility earlier this month, he has no intention of putting Rodgers on a clock.
“Deadlines don’t often bring that to a head,” Tomlin said.
So for now there doesn’t appear to be one, not even with the NFL Draft less than four weeks away and the Steelers holding the 21st overall pick.
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Rodgers, a free agent for the first time in his 20-year career, has been linked to Minnesota and the New York Giants as well, though the Giants appear to no longer be in play after signing Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston.
The Vikings also appear to be set at quarterback with J.J. McCarthy returning from an injury that cost him his rookie season.
[Related: Vikings GM leaves door open for Aaron Rodgers, but ‘happy’ with J.J. McCarthy]
On the surface, the debate appears to be whether Rodgers wants to play in Pittsburgh, or if he wants to play at all.
The Steelers did bring back Mason Rudolph on a two-year deal. But the only other quarterback currently on the roster is former Miami Dolphin Skylar Thompson. There’s plenty of room to add, both physically and in terms of salary.
“We’re optimistic about the room that we’re constructing,” Tomlin said, later adding, “But certainly we’re going to continue to explore all our options in terms of rounding that room out.”
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Tomlin and Rodgers have long had an affinity — publicly anyway — for each other, including a couple of moments during games in recent years in which they seemed to acknowledge each other for their gamesmanship, moments quickly went viral.
The NFL’s longest-tenured head coach called Rodgers’ visit “a really good day,” even though it ended with Rodgers leaving without a deal.
Pittsburgh has been stuck in a bit of quarterback purgatory since Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement after the 2021 season. The team has churned through five quarterbacks in three years, yet has also somehow made the playoffs twice before making a quick exit.
Whoever is the quarterback will get a chance to throw passes to DK Metcalf, acquired in a trade with Seattle three weeks ago. Tomlin said he expects the two-time Pro Bowler to be a “big asset.”
“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.
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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