Insider shares if Steelers are 'stressed' about possibly not signing Aaron Rodgers

While it appears to outsiders that the Minnesota Vikings are serious about naming 2024 first-round draft choice J.J. McCarthy their starting quarterback this spring or summer, the fact that Aaron Rodgers began Monday afternoon as a free agent has some still wondering if he could retire or remain a possible option for the Vikings rather than join the Pittsburgh Steelers as soon as later this week. 

On Monday afternoon, NFL insider Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated shared why head coach Mike Tomlin and others within the Steelers aren't losing sleep about Rodgers' intentions after the future Hall of Famer visited with the club for more than six hours in March and then worked out with recently acquired Pittsburgh wide receiver DK Metcalf.

"After being around the Steelers' brass a little last week in Florida," Breer wrote about the team's interest in Rodgers, "they don’t seem overly stressed about it not happening ... The Steelers have never been a franchise to grovel, so I hardly expected to see them in Palm Beach in some state of desperation. But if you follow their actions, rather than just their words, it shows that things are setting up for Rodgers to step right in. He’s worked with Metcalf. He’s met with Mike Tomlin and (offensive coordinator) Arthur Smith’s offensive staff — and talked a lot of football with those guys on his visit."

At least some Steelers employees clearly view Rodgers as an upgrade over Justin Fields and Russell Wilson after Tomlin benched Fields last fall and after Wilson lost his final five starts (including the playoffs) with Pittsburgh. Fields, Wilson and a handful of other could-be starting quarterbacks all found new football homes this offseason, while the Steelers re-signed longtime backup Mason Rudolph to serve as a placeholder amid their wait for Rodgers. 

Of course, the Vikings could reach out to Rodgers at any time if McCarthy performs poorly during springtime workouts or suffers a setback as he continues to recover from the full meniscus repair that sidelined him for all of his rookie season. According to Breer, the Vikings are "encouraged by where [McCarthy] is now versus where he was six months ago." 

"Encouraged by" isn't the same as being all-in on starting McCarthy, but it sounds like Rodgers and the Steelers understand they need each other unless the 41-year-old decides his body has had enough of being an NFL QB1.

Breer noted that ESPN personality Pat McAfee, whose show Rodgers has appeared on multiple times, "has a big event in his hometown of Pittsburgh set for Wednesday." Could Rodgers reveal his plans at PPG Paints Arena in front of what likely would be an adoring audience?