The Pittsburgh Steelers still have no concrete clue if Aaron Rodgers will sign with the team. Team president Art Rooney II said they believed he would ink a deal, and they would like to have him in the building by offseason training activities, which start on May 27.
“We’re still kind of getting the same signals we’ve been getting recently that he does want to come here,” Rooney said. “I do think we may get word soon, obviously, with things starting to crank up here with the offseason programs. If he’s coming, we would like to get him here soon for some of that.”
In an appearance on CNBC to talk about artificial intelligence, Steelers minority owner Thomas Tull joked about the Rodgers situation when asked.
“I’m here to talk about AI, and that’s a more complex issue than artificial intelligence,” Tull said.
Tull invested in the team in 2009, and has become one of the top confidants of the group headed by Rooney. Yet, while the Steelers keep saying they are getting signs, the complex issue is they have no certain answer on Rodgers’ status.
It has even Rooney and Tull puzzled. At the NFL owner’s meetings in March, Rooney admitted he had never seen the quarterback situation with Rodgers drawing out as long as it had been this offseason.
The four-time MVP said last Thursday on the Pat McAfee Show that he was working through some personal issues and could not commit to the Steelers or any other team until they were resolved. He added that throughout the process, he has informed the teams of all of that.
“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 (expletive) about me.”
The Steelers have three quarterbacks on the roster, but general manager Omar Khan said they would have four on their training camp roster, with the last one likely being a veteran. Rodgers is the top candidate for that, and Pittsburgh remains confident he will sign.