Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Omar Khan has swung for the fences this offseason by rolling the dice with Aaron Rodgers, but the team has ended any doubt about his long-term future.
According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, the Steelers have signed Khan to a three-year contract extension that will keep him in Pittsburgh through the 2028 season.
Earlier this week, former player-turned-analyst Ross Tucker questioned whether Khan was on the hot seat in Pittsburgh.
"The Steelers are operating like someone's on the hot seat," Tucker said on his podcast. "The moves they're making. These are the types of moves that a GM makes when he thinks he's on the hot seat."
Talk about an emphatic answer to that question. The Steelers are risking it all by going in for one final season of Aaron Rodgers' legendary career, but the team has confidence in Khan beyond that, regardless of how the Rodgers experiment pans out.
Steelers make a long-term commitment to Omar Khan that goes well beyond the Aaron Rodgers era
Rodgers made it clear he doesn't plan to stick around after this season, but the Steelers have ensured Khan's future with the team will go well beyond the four-time MVP's stay in Pittsburgh.
And if this offseason is anything to go by, it's going to be an entertaining ride.
Khan has taken the Rodgers gamble, hoping to achieve success that the New York Jets were unable to. And, to his credit, if you're going all-in with the four-time MVP, you should go all the way in.
The Steelers have. It started with their blockbuster move for star wide receiver DK Metcalf, but that was just the beginning. Pittsburgh stole the headlines again this week by trading for All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey and Pro Bowl tight end Jonnu Smith in a deal that sent Minkah Fitzpatrick to the Miami Dolphins.
Khan has put the Steelers in the Super Bowl conversation. They must now prove they are ready to compete in a wildly competitive division, but they are firmly in the mix. Khan deserves credit for that.
Now, the Steelers have rewarded their general manager and ended any doubt over his long-term future.