The Pittsburgh Steelers have been under a microscope throughout the 2025 offseason as the NFL world tries to figure out exactly what the franchise is thinking at quarterback. The organization has been interested in veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers since the first week of free agency, and he finally decided to sign with the team on Thursday afternoon. The hold up with Rodgers signing had to do with matters that the veteran was dealing with in his personal life. Outside of Rodgers, Pittsburgh has Mason Rudolph, Skylar Thompson, and 2025 sixth-round pick Will Howard taking snaps at Organized Team Activities (OTAs).
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Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph during Week 18 of the 2023 season in Baltimore.
Pittsburgh certainly had one of the worst quarterback situations in the league prior to Rodgers agreeing to sign. Rudolph had a good run with Pittsburgh at the end of the 2023 season, but he should not be relied upon to start a 17-game season. It would have been an extremely bad look for the front office if Rodgers wound up going elsewhere or retiring, and the team's brass would have been blamed for the whole fiasco.
ESPN analyst Kimberley A. Martin believes most of the blame would actually fall on General Manager Omar Khan, which she made clear during a recent appearance on Get Up.
"If Aaron Rodgers decides not to come or he does come and they suck or whatever... to me, you would look at the GM," said Martin. "The coach coaches the players that are there. Omar Khan, this is now his second year, I think, full-time in this role. That's where you have to look at."
Martin believes the majority of the blame would fall on Khan, while Tomlin would escape the mess without a scratch if Rodgers plays poorly or had decided not to sign in Pittsburgh to begin with. When it comes to a decision as big as the quarterback position, the longest-tenured head coach going into his 19th season likely makes the calls.
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Steelers' Mike Tomlin on the field before facing the Cleveland Browns in Week 12 of the 2024 season.
Every key decision-maker within the organization needs to be held accountable if Rodgers does not end up playing well, or the experience turns into a disaster in some other way, but none more than Tomlin. The head coach has made nothing but questionable decisions at the quarterback position since the retirement of Ben Roethlisberger. He was always known to like Rodgers, so it is quite clear that the coach was the one vouching for this option at quarterback while also being willing to wait for the four-time league MVP.
Tomlin is under contract through the 2027 season, and it is unlikely he will be fired while still under contract. That means there is a world where Khan could be the scapegoat for Tomlin's run of suspect decisions.
Steelers' Omar Khan Has Quietly Done A Really Good Job In Pittsburgh
Khan took over the GM job in Pittsburgh after the 2022 NFL Draft. He has put together two draft classes that have seen a ton of NFL action so far, and there are plenty of young players who seem to have high potential. At times, Joey Porter Jr. looks like a top five cornerback in the league, Nick Herbig is coming along as a great outside linebacker, and Payton Wilson should break out in 2025. The offensive line has a nice, young nucleus with Zach Frazier, Mason McCormick, Troy Fautanu, and Broderick Jones. Roman Wilson will also be interesting to watch as he finally gets to see the field healthy in 2025.
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Steelers General Manager Omar Khan holds up a phone to his ear as he stands in the team's War Room during the 2025 NFL Draft.
Khan has done a lot of good things in his tenure, and Pittsburgh is projected to have 12 draft picks during the 2026 NFL Draft. If the Rodgers situation goes awry, he certainly deserves some blame, but it is quite clear who devised the plan to wait out for the veteran quarterback.
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