Schefter: Steelers Fans Given Legitimate New Timeline For The Aaron Rodgers Saga To End

Pittsburgh Steelers fans have been on the edge of their seats for the better part of the last two months. The organization has been interested in veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers, and they continue to await his decision about his future. Some fans want to see the four-time MVP in the black and gold, while others are better off with the idea of starting Mason Rudolph, or another veteran option. It still seems like the Steelers are the only realistic landing spot for Rodgers, so if he makes up his mind and decides he wants to continue playing in the NFL, he will certainly be the starting quarterback in Pittsburgh during the 2025 season.

The only other logical landing spot for Rodgers would be the New Orleans Saints, but he likely wouldn't go there as that roster isn't as competitive. His only two options seem to be playing for the Steelers, or retirement, and he is taking his sweet time making a decision. Pittsburgh's brass has seemed perfectly fine with giving Rodgers all the time in the world, and every time they have spoken publicly on the matter, they have appeared optimistic about the chances the veteran eventually inks a deal. 

Top NFL insider Adam Schefter spoke on the situation on Monday during an appearance on Unsportsmanlike, where he stated that an official deadline should be considered the start of mandatory minicamp.

"I think the Steelers' mandatory minicamp is next month," Schefter said. "Forget the exact date, roughly June 10th, I would think that we would get a decision from Aaron Rodgers shortly before then about whether or not he should play. To me, you can't miss that mandatory minicamp where you start gearing up. I guess you can, but it's not ideal."

Pittsburgh's mandatory minicamp does begin on June 10th, and it will go through June 12th. Rodgers has always been against offseason activities, and he has been outspoken about believing the NFL should not start anything until training camp gets underway in July. If the veteran cannot sign a deal and appear in Pittsburgh for three days in the middle of June to get to know his teammates, Pittsburgh should likely reconsider their interest in him and find a new route to take at quarterback.

This is one of the rare occasions where money is not an issue for a player being hesitant on signing a contract. Money plays absolutely no part in whether or not Rodgers suits up in 2025, it just depends on how he is feeling moving forward and how things are going in his personal life. It is hard to imagine he would string Pittsburgh along for as long as he has and not sign, but the decision still ultimately remains his.

The organization has not seemed to give Rodgers a firm deadline, but mandatory minicamp seems like a reasonable date to request a decision by. The franchise needs to have some plan at arguably the most important position in sports, and it is hard to formulate one if it doesn't know what Rodgers is planning on doing.

Steelers Don't Have Many Options At Quarterback

Outside of Rodgers, the Steelers' choices at the quarterback position are limited. The organization is reportedly fine with starting Rudolph to begin the 2025 season, but that will likely not last long as the quarterback has proven time and time again that he is not capable of being a reliable starter in the NFL. Some fans will argue he had several decent games at the end of the 2023 season, but this is a new offensive system in Pittsburgh. He has new players, and his durability is questionable for 17 good games in a row. The other option would by sixth-round rookie Will Howard, who the organization probably doesn't want to see the field so early, simply so he can develop properly.

Other options include trading for Kirk Cousins, but that would be an irresponsible decision based on the contract and the trade assets alone.

What do you think about the deadline for Rodgers? Let us know in the comments below!

#SteelerNation