There was a moment, not long ago, when the idea of Aaron Rodgers in black and gold didn’t feel so far-fetched. He’d been spotted talking with Mike Tomlin during a game last season in a clip that quickly went viral, and months later, reports surfaced that he’d had conversations with both Tomlin and offensive coordinator Arthur Smith. It felt like the Steelers were quietly setting the table for something big. But now, with June creeping in and the roster still in flux, all that early buzz has faded into uncertainty. Rodgers hasn’t confirmed anything. Not even a hint.

The Steelers, meanwhile, aren’t exactly short on quarterbacks; Russell Wilson and Justin Fields are both in the building. But Rodgers brings a different weight, a different possibility. So, the silence around him has created a strange limbo. It’s not just the fans waiting for answers anymore; it’s the coaching staff, the front office, even the players, unsure of what direction this is heading. And with mandatory minicamp in less than ten days, time is quickly becoming the most valuable (and most frustrating) variable in the equation.

That’s where NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero comes in. Speaking on The Rich Eisen Show, he pulled back the curtain on what’s really going on behind the scenes — or more precisely, what isn’t. 

In his words:

“I mean, I have been told that he has not affirmatively told the Steelers that he’s coming. Certainly all indications, if you just look at it logically, are that he’s coming based on his comments about ‘Hey, there’s a team that plays in Chicago that I might play for,’ ‘I’m not playing in New Orleans.’ You know, he took one visit, he’s been throwing with DK Metcalf, he talks all the time with Mike Tomlin, I know he’s talked with Arthur Smith. So there’s all these signs that he’s coming, but he’s not affirmatively said, ‘Hey, June 9th, book me the ticket. I’m coming in and I’m gonna join this team.’ That has not happened as of this point.
And so yes, they’re operating as if the guy is going to be there, but every day that goes by you just have that sense of just — a) what’s the hold-up, why does it have to be like this? and b) is it possible that one of the most unique people in the NFL and in the modern era ends up making a very unique U-turn at the end of this thing?”

It’s a rare kind of limbo, one where everything seems lined up on paper, yet nothing has been verbalized. There’s visual evidence, verbal cues, and situational logic that all suggest he’s leaning toward Pittsburgh. But as Pelissero points out, those signals mean very little in the absence of an actual commitment, especially when you’re dealing with someone as famously unpredictable — and famously deliberate — as Aaron Rodgers.

That leaves the person at the heart of this all: Mike Tomlin, in a bit of a bind. For once, the Steelers’ longtime head coach finds himself waiting on someone else’s timeline while quietly having to think two steps ahead.

Mike Tomlin has no choice but to think ahead

Tom Pelissero put it best: Tomlin has been patient so far, but that can’t last forever. “You asked me last week, ‘What’s the midnight hour?’ and there’s not a clear answer… because Mike Tomlin in particular has just made abundantly clear he’s willing to wait.” But there’s a line somewhere. “There is going to come a time, though, Rich… where there’s so much time lost — does it make sense for the Steelers, a blueblood organization that’s never really been strung along by a player, certainly not publicly — much less a 41-year-old quarterback who hasn’t played well in four years?” That’s where things start to get complicated. The Steelers aren’t used to this kind of fix, and Tomlin definitely isn’t either.

That “midnight hour” might show up in about 10 days, when the Steelers’ mandatory minicamp begins. “If the answer at that time is, ‘I’m still not telling you what the answer is,’ that really is going to raise the specter of — are we really going to do this for another six, seven weeks?” Pelissero said. And that’s the thing. This isn’t just about Rodgers anymore. It affects everything. Guys like Kirk Cousins, the rest of the QB market, and most of all, the team Tomlin is supposed to get ready for the season. Right now, they don’t even know who their starting quarterback will be. That’s a tough spot to be in when you’re trying to plan reps, install plays, and build chemistry.

So even if Rodgers does show up and the Steelers still seem to believe he will, Tomlin kind of has to start thinking beyond him already. “In my mind, this is going to be an A or an F,” Pelissero said. “This is either going to work at a really high level or this is going to crash and burn in epic proportions.”

If it’s the latter, the Steelers could find themselves looking toward the 2026 draft, with a chance to land a top QB and some extra ammo to move up if needed. “Whether Rodgers comes or not,” Pelissero added, “2026 is really going to be the target point for what they do going forward at the quarterback position.” That’s not ideal for a head coach who’s built his career on stability and control. But for now, all Tomlin can do is plan ahead — and keep waiting.