Aaron Rodgers’s words hung in the air like a Hail Mary pass at the buzzer—dangling, directionless, begging for a resolution. For Steelers fans, it’s a familiar tune. Think back to 1983, when Pittsburgh infamously passed on Dan Marino for a defensive tackle. Decades later, the franchise faces another quarterback quandary. This time, tangled in the web of Aaron Rodgers’s indecision. It’s like waiting for a rain delay at Wrigley Field: everyone’s antsy, but nobody’s leaving their seats.
The Steelers’ front office has danced this waltz before. From Terry Bradshaw’s swagger to Ben Roethlisberger’s grit, the team’s identity has always been stitched to its quarterbacks. But now? The playbook feels stuck on pause. Mike Tomlin’s poker face might rival Phil Ivey’s, but even he can’t bluff now. As the NFL Draft looms, Pittsburgh’s quarterback room resembles a poor diner menu—lots of options, but no signature dish.
Gerry Dulac, Steelers insider for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, dropped a truth bomb during his April 18th chat with Rich Eisen: “They are not going into the draft with the idea of, ‘we need to get ourselves a quarterback in the first round.’” Why? The ghost of Kenny Pickett’s underwhelming tenure still haunts them. Dulac noted the Steelers’ draft priorities—defensive line, running back, receiver—and hinted they’d rather “come out of the draft with a quarterback… I can tell you that they are not sitting here thinking we need to get that number two pick back.” The problem?
Aaron Rodgers’s waiting game has cost Pittsburgh leverage. Free agents like Jameis Winston and Joe Flacco slipped away while the Steelers lingered on Rodgers’s “maybe.” Dulac emphasized they’ll still add a veteran—“They are not going to go into a season with Mason Rudolph and then a rookie as the backup quarterback. They have never done that in their life. They always have two veteran quarterbacks.” However, with Rodgers waffling between retirement and Malibu sunsets, Pittsburgh’s Plan B smells like reheated meatloaf: familiar, uninspiring, but better than an empty plate.
The Steelers’ draft strategy? They crave a second-round pick (lost in the DK Metcalf trade) but not like a kid craves an SNES Classic, per Dulac. Trading down from No. 21 could recoup value, but it’s a risky bet in a QB-hungry draft. The Sporting News’ Bill Bender mocked Texas’s Quinn Ewers to Pittsburgh in the third round—a “pedigree pick” with 68 career TD passes. But Ewers’ 38.2% completion rate on deep balls last year raises eyebrows. Is he the next Big Ben or the next Mitch Trubisky?
Even if they snag Ewers, the Steelers’ QB room remains a game of musical chairs. Rudolph’s 3-0 stint in 2023 was solid, but you can’t sell Mason Rudolph and hope to win a division with Lamar Jackson. But another candidate is looming in the trenches.
Kirk Cousins: The contingency plan no one wants to admit
Enter Kirk Cousins—the casserole of NFL quarterbacks. He’s not flashy, but he’s reliable. Dulac acknowledged the Falcons could dangle Cousins as trade bait but warned Atlanta might “hold up” the Steelers for draft capital. “The Steelers are certainly not going to invest a lot in terms of maybe draft capital to get Kirk Cousins, but that would be a possibility,” Gulac concluded. At 36, Cousins is no spring chicken, but he’s five years younger than Rodgers and threw for 4,547 yards in 2024.
Still, Pittsburgh’s front office seems allergic to desperation moves. Meanwhile, Rodgers’ cryptic Pat McAfee Show appearance did little to calm nerves. “The lines of communication are open,” he said, sounding more like a therapist than a quarterback. If Pittsburgh’s confidence were a stock, it’d be plummeting faster than Bud Light sales at a NASCAR race. Besides, Aaron Rodgers’s indecision isn’t just a headache.
Jun 3, 2024; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (18) shown in action on the field during Falcons OTA at the Falcons Training facility. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
It’s a financial hangover. The Jets paid dearly for his 5-12 meltdown last year, and Pittsburgh risks similar buyer’s remorse. At 42, Rodgers’ arm isn’t what it was, but his ego? Still MVP-sized. And even if Rodgers signs, he’s a bridge QB at best. Pittsburgh’s future hinges on finding the guy, not babysitting a legend’s farewell tour.
The clock’s ticking. The draft starts April 25th, and Pittsburgh’s war room must decide: gamble on Rodgers’ whims or pivot to Cousins/Ewers/a mystery box. As philosopher Yogi Berra once said, “When you come to a fork in the road, take it.”
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