Like anything Aaron Rodgers does nowadays, there was plenty of drama leading up to his decision to join the Pittsburgh Steelers. There were hints about the signing all offseason, to the point where it became obvious there was only one likely destination. But now, with Rodgers in Pittsburgh and attending OTAs, analyst Rich Eisen is looking forward to what happens next.
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First, let’s go over the offseason drama that Rodgers put everyone through. On March 10th, reports surfaced saying he was interested in joining the Steelers. Then, on March 21st, those reports gained steam when he made a surprise visit to their facility in Pittsburgh. A week later, Rodgers visited the facility again, for six hours, and everyone expected him to sign.
But he didn’t. In fact, he went radio silent for all of April and May while we awaited his decision. Finally, on June 5th, he signed a one-year, $13.65 million deal to put an end to the discourse. And even though he’s looked good so far in practice, the process has analysts like Eisen asking, “What gives?”
“But he’s there. Looked pretty damn spry on the practice field yesterday as well. Saw a lot of video of his footwork, saw him in a golf cart with DK Metcalf. He’s there, the question is: why did it take so long?” Eisen asked (via The Rich Eisen Show).
It’s the exact question we’ve all been wondering. Why did Rodgers drag out the signing process so long? Was it a desire to remain the center of attention, or did he have a legitimate reason?
Well, after his first day at OTAs, Rodgers finally shed some light on why the decision took so long.
“I was dealing with a lot of things in my personal life, and some things [needed to improve] a little bit where I felt like I could be fully all in here with the guys. Had a great conversation with Mike [Tomlin] throughout the entire process, and Omar [Khan]. But it’s good to get that done and get it behind us,” Rodgers said at the Steelers OTAs.
“I didn’t want to shortchange the guys and sign but be elsewhere mentally or physically. So, until I could be here and be all in, I needed to take care of my business,” he added.
Not exactly the most specific reason as to why it took so long. But it’s clear that something was preoccupying Rodgers’ time this offseason. Many rumors emerged about him, from having trouble coming to terms with retiring, to a possible family member dealing with cancer.
Yet, Eisen didn’t see any issues with Rodgers’ responses. He thought it was a bit strange that the media was trying to pull it out of him that he’s been secretly married for the last 2 months. But he can understand that, in light of Stefon Diggs getting lambasted in the media for his personal life, Rodgers did not want to give them any more drama to write and gossip about.
Eisen also understood that after his time with the Jets, where it often seemed like Rodgers wasn’t fully committed, he wanted to be sure he still had the passion before signing with another team. After all, this is the same guy who reportedly tried to reschedule New York’s OTAs last season so he could take a trip to Egypt.
“Although the Jets are on their own island of dysfunction that the Steelers do not have the GPS coordinates for. This is a different organization, one that has a singular voice at the head coaching position, who will not be pulled into a meeting after a Week 4 loss and tell him, ‘Hey, how about benching our 40-year-old quarterback?’” Eisen joked.
A big and well-known Jets fan, it’s clear that Eisen still holds some pain for how Rodgers didn’t ultimately work out in New York. But he doesn’t blame him for much of it. Instead, he points toward the poor and dysfunctional ownership that mismanaged everything.
Eisen thinks Tomlin is why Rodgers signed
On top of wanting to truly consider if he still had a passion for the game, Eisen believes that Mike Tomlin played an essential role in recruiting Rodgers to the Steelers. Which is something Aaron has said himself.
“A big attraction was Mike Tomlin. I’ve gone against him over the years. The way that the conversations went between him and I between March and April, and the last Sunday that I called him, was some of the coolest conversations I’ve had in the game with a head coach. So, he’s a big reason I’m here. I believe in him and I’m excited to play for him,” Rodgers said when asked why he signed with the Steelers.
Oh, to be a fly on the wall for those conversations. Tomlin and Rodgers together in a room have to be having some of the most cerebral conversations about the game. They’re two legends who have continually defied expectations well into their careers.
But now, here we are. Rodgers is signed in Pittsburgh, he’s looking good in OTAs, and he’s answering questions nicely. The table is set for us fans to watch and see how it all unfolds. We could see this going well or miserably.
