The Pittsburgh Steelers want Aaron Rodgers. They’re willing to wait for Aaron Rodgers. But they aren’t willing to wait past the point where it makes things too difficult, and they’re making that known.
At the NFL League Meetings in Palm Beach, Florida, head coach Mike Tomlin, general manager Omar Khan and team president Art Rooney II all spoke to local media in small, personal scrums. Obviously, Aaron Rodgers was asked about. He was asked about more than anything else.
The Steelers remained an optimistic outlook on the situation. Rooney said signs are pointing to Rodgers signing with Pittsburgh. Tomlin confirmed the two sides have remained in contact. And Khan made it clear that Rodgers doesn’t hurt the team’s plans for the remainder of the offseason.
But the Steelers are making it clear that they do need an answer. With their biggest message coming from Rooney himself.
“Are you content to wait [for Rodgers]?” Rooney was asked by media.
“Well, not forever, but a little while longer,” Rooney replied.
Tomlin made it clear that training camp was a time when the team needed to be in place enough to begin preparing and building chemistry for the season. It could mean Rodgers isn’t planning to answer before then, but it certainly means the Steelers are open to pushing it past OTAs and mini camp.
When an answer is coming, no one knows except Rodgers. The Steelers are being patient, and they do feel confident that things could end in their favor. Rumbles throughout the League Meetings is that Rodgers is expected to end up in Pittsburgh this season, but when it comes to the 41-year-old quarterback, nothing is guaranteed.
So, the Steelers wait. But they aren’t waiting forever.
