Steelers ownership makes AI-related joke about the Aaron Rodgers situation

The Pittsburgh Steelers have one of the more interesting quarterback rooms in the NFL with the group consisting of Mason Rudolph, Will Howard and Skylar Thompson. Howard is a late-round rookie, Thompson has struggled when he has seen the field and Rudolph has been inconsistent at best throughout his professional career. It is in consideration for the worst quarterback room in the league, but that can all change if Pittsburgh can finally get a deal done with veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers. 

Pittsburgh has been in talks with Rodgers since the first week of free agency, and all signs have pointed to the two parties eventually joining forces. However, Rodgers is taking his time making his decision. He is weighing the option of retirement while also dealing with several personal matters, and a timetable for when he will eventually sign is unknown. The Steelers seem like the only reasonable landing spot for the four-time league MVP, but it is up to him whether or not he would like to play football.

Pittsburgh's team brass has been very optimistic about the whole situation. Team President Art Rooney II has spoken publicly multiple times about Rodgers eventually signing, and everything he has said has made it seem like Rodgers will sign soon. One of Pittsburgh's minority owners, Thomas Tull, recently appeared on CNBC where he was discussing artificial intelligence when he was asked about Rodgers.

"I'm here to talk about AI, and that's a more complex issue than artificial intelligence," Tull said.

Tull founded a production company and is also an investor, and he became a minority owner of the Steelers in 2009 after being a fan for his entire life. As a minority owner, he is still a fan, but he is not involved with the construction of the team. 

Rodgers made it clear the decision to sign is not about money at all; it is just about where he is currently at in his life. He has personal matters going on that he needs to take care of, which he made clear during his appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show." Pittsburgh's mandatory minicamp is coming up during the second week of June, which should give fans a decent idea of when he might sign. He could also wait until training camp gets closer; there is really no telling when it comes to Rodgers.

Steelers have to put their foot down at some point

The longer this process goes on, the worse it looks for Pittsburgh - especially if the quarterback doesn't end up signing. The Steelers always like to go into training camp with four quarterbacks on the roster, and Rodgers could fill that fourth spot. As training camp gets closer and closer, the organization is going to have to come to a decision if the quarterback still has not made up his mind. They will need to fill that spot eventually, and if Rodgers can't come to a decision, the organization is going to have to look elsewhere.

The free-agent quarterbacks on the market are not promising, with one of the top names being Carson Wentz. Kirk Cousins is also a potential trade candidate, but the Atlanta Falcons don't seem set on dealing the veteran. He also has a large contract that could be hard to move. The Steelers’ quarterback situation is bleak, but that can all change if Rodgers makes his decision soon.