Steelers part-owner: Aaron Rodgers is a 'more complex issue' than AI

Pittsburgh Steelers owner and president Art Rooney II has expressed positivity about the team’s pursuit of Aaron Rodgers, but part-owner Thomas Tull cast some uncertainty surrounding the quarterback on Tuesday.

In an interview with CNBC’s “Power Lunch,” Tull made a quip about the Steelers’ courtship of Rodgers as the TWG Global co-chairman appeared on the program to discuss AI.

“I’m here to talk about AI, and that’s a more complex issue than artificial intelligence,” Tull replied when asked about Rodgers.

Tull’s comment is the first from the Steelers’ organization over the last few weeks that suggests Rodgers signing with them isn’t as much of a slam dunk as many thought it would be.

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Steelers coach Mike Tomlin has shown optimism that the team would land Rodgers over the last couple of months.

“It’s been reported that he spent a day with us, and it was a really good day,” Tomlin told reporters at the league meetings in March. “Specifically, he and I obviously have known of each other for some time, and so it was really good to spend some time together, man, and get to know each other more intimately, but it is free agency. It is a process.”

Even recently, Tomlin and Rodgers have been in “constant contact,” according to Bleacher Report’s James Palmer. Rooney has also gotten a sense that Rodgers wants to be in Pittsburgh.

“We’re still kind of getting the same signals that we’ve been getting recently,” Rooney told Steelers Nation Radio ahead of Day 2 of the 2025 NFL Draft. “He does want to come here, so I do think we may get word soon.”

That lines up with what Rooney told reporters in April, when he said the team was “getting positive sort of signals” about Rodgers joining them.

“So yeah, I’d say we feel pretty good about it at this point,” Rooney said at the league meetings.

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However, Rodgers has been taking his time with his next career decision and has kept a relatively low profile since he became a free agent in March. In his only public comments since his release from the New York Jets, Rodgers explained that there were personal reasons why he was taking his time with his decision in an appearance on the “Pat McAfee Show” in April.

“I am trying to be open to everything and not specifically attached to a decision. I’m not holding anyone hostage,” Rodgers said. “I’ve been upfront from the beginning. I don’t mean any disrespect to anyone on a team. I’m just going through a lot in my personal life that has to take [priority}. I don’t think it was fair to the Steelers or anyone while I deal with a lot of things off the field. The people that know, know. The people that don’t, make up s— about me.”

The Steelers have essentially put themselves in a corner with Rodgers. While they have a few quarterbacks on their roster, none have a great deal of starting experience. They signed Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson in free agency. They didn’t make a major investment at quarterback in the draft, either, waiting until the sixth round to select Ohio State’s Will Howard.

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