Steelers News: Analyst Backs Aaron Rodgers’ Pittsburgh Return Ahead of the QB’s ‘Mid-March’ Decision

After the ugly display Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers offense put out in yet another Wild Card round defeat, this time by a score of 30-6 at home against the Houston Texans, it felt like the end was near. It seemed like a foregone conclusion that the 42-year-old gunslinger would call it a career. But not so fast.

With legendary Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin (and most of his staff) moving on after that postseason game, it would seem to make sense that Rodgers would as well. Tomlin was one of the main reasons the future Hall of Famer came to Pittsburgh in the first place. But now, with Rodgers’ old coach Mike McCarthy installed as the new boss and much of his new staff now in place, the rumblings out of Pittsburgh have been surprisingly pro-Rodgers.

Owner Art Rooney II said he’d “left the door open” for Rodgers’ return, and McCarthy said he “definitely” would like to work with Rodgers again. Most recently, general manager Omar Khan said that there is no deadline for Rodgers to make a decision on returning. Though he did caveat that with the expectation that it wouldn’t be a drawn-out process like last year.

Now, ESPN insider Adam Schefter reports that the scuttlebutt around the league is that Rodgers will make the call on whether he wants to come back for a 22nd season by mid-March when the new league year commences.

“The belief around the league is that, the feeling is, he’s supposed to give an answer by mid-March,” Schefter reported on February 25. “Many people thought that there would be no chance he’d be back. It certainly sounds like it’s an absolute consideration. And it sounds like … he’s more likely than not to be back today. I think the feeling is, he could be back with the Pittsburgh Steelers.”

The three main questions are: Will Rodgers come back at all? If he does, when will he make that call? And when he does, which team will he be joining as a free agent? Schefter believes the Minnesota Vikings are an interesting proposition, but overall, the Steelers seem most likely.

Many Pittsburgh fans will roll their eyes at the thought of another 10-7 season with old man Rodgers. However, former two-time Super Bowl champ and current ESPN NFL analyst Damien Woody believes Rodgers might still be Pittsburgh’s best option under center.

“Steelers owner Art Rooney II said, ‘We don’t rebuild… the expectation is for us to compete and contend every year.’ So if that’s going to be the case, with the limited options that are out there … Aaron Rodgers might be your best option right now,” Woody argued. “If the Pittsburgh Steelers are going to contend, who else are they going to turn to?”

Woody did say that he expects the Steelers to draft another youngster in April. And while they won’t be trading up for Fernando Mendoza, Woody could see them drafting one as early as the first round. Perhaps that rookie sitting for a year behind Rodgers could be the QB formula the Steelers use here.