It's not common to witness such secrecy surround a free agent like what is happening around Aaron Rodgers. The Pittsburgh Steelers would love to conclude this drawn-out saga. Rodgers appears to hold all the cards, and none of the top decision-makers seem privy to setting an ultimatum for the star player.
Things are starting to heat up, but that doesn't mean we are close.
Everyone in Pittsburgh knows about Rodgers touring the Steelers' facility in March. That was just the start of this. As Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin remains in contact with the Future Hall of Famer, they are still eagerly awaiting official word. Rodgers holds all the cards moving forward, but his recent throwing session with D.K. Metcalf appears to expose his intent on signing with the team.
No one knows when he will finally decide, but these dates could be the best guesses.
No one knows when Aaron Rodgers could sign with Pittsburgh Steelers
Wednesday April 9th: Pat McAfee's "Big Night Aht"
Let's get the clear choice out of the way first. Pat McAfee has become a sports media icon since retiring from his professional football career. He is a local Pittsburgh guy and will host an event at PPG Paints Arena in front of a sold-out crowd. The event will be called "Big Night Aht" and host secret guests. Rodgers could appear after being a consistent guest on McAfee's shows.
It would be a day to etch into the history books if Rodgers jumped onto the stage and announced his intent to join the Steelers for the upcoming season. Another possibility would be for him to sign a little before the event and join McAfee's event to introduce himself to the city. This date would include a circus to follow, but it makes sense for McAfee and Rodgers.
READ MORE: Aaron Rodgers testing out Steelers fit with explosive throwing session
Wednesday April 23: Day before the NFL Draft
Ideally, the Steelers would have official word from Rodgers before the 2025 NFL draft. The annual event starts on April 24, so Pittsburgh needs to know if they have a starting quarterback outside of Mason Rudolph before then. If Rodgers refuses to let them know, they must keep the position in mind when the draft begins. It could cause the team to get desperate.
This draft class of quarterbacks is weak, but the Steelers have expressed interest in some top players. If Rodgers doesn't sign with the team before the draft, Pittsburgh might have to consider Jaxson Dart or Jalen Milroe at the top of the event. Rodgers was officially traded to the New York Jets on April 24th. Maybe history will repeat itself.
Late July: Right before training camp starts
The nightmare scenario for the Steelers would be waiting for Rodgers to sign until training camp.
It would create a great story to wonder what will happen at the quarterback position, only to see Rodgers waltz into Saint Vincent College to sign a one-year deal. Brett Favre joined the Minnesota Vikings in the middle of August, which Rodgers could keep in the back of his mind. It's unknown if Pittsburgh would accept this long of a holdout, but it would create drama.
If Rodgers waits until this point in the offseason process, it would be unheard of. The Steelers want players to go through mini-camps and OTAs, which Rodgers would skip if this timeline occurred. The draft and the rest of free agency would've transpired at this point. The Steelers could have other players on the depth chart and might not need Rodgers if he decides to wait this long.