Big Ben’s shadow looms large in the Steelers’ locker room. Will Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson measure up to the legend that Steel City has never seen again? That’s one question that has plagued fans for months now. Even with the latest draft addition of Will Howard, the biggest gap in the roster is a veteran QB who can certifiably lead them to success. And that’s exactly where Aaron Rodgers comes in. A Black and Gold A-Rod will be the answer to all the prayers that have been resonating all around Pittsburgh. But is Mike Tomlin only waiting for A-Rod with a $10 million check and some dotted lines for him to sign? Well… Sure looks like it. But is Tomlin worried like the fans are?

Aaron Rodgers wants to play. It’s why he went to talk to the Jets front office, it’s why he visited the Steelers facility, too. Sure, he’s had a couple of bad seasons marked with injuries and whatnot. But this is the same guy who earned a Super Bowl ring and led the Packers through an amazing season. The talent is undeniable. But a name like A-Rod comes with its own headlines with every move he makes, or doesn’t make. That could be a big “distraction” to a team trying to rise up from the trenches of defeat. But are the Steelers worried about this distraction? NFL insiders have some revelations in that regard.

On the What the Football podcast, Mike Florio shed some light on the whole thing. According to Florio, “it’s just a matter of time before he announces it. I think he’ll be there at some point during the OTAs, which begin on May 27th, possibly at some point this week leading up to the Memorial Day weekend, he’ll make the announcement.” While that aligns with everything we’ve been hearing about Aaron Rodgers’ decision, Florio believes A-Rod could’ve been a big distraction if he had shown up already. “From his perspective, there’s two ways he could have been a distraction. One, by not being signed to Steelers and kind of hovering, or two, by being signed to Steelers and staying away from the first two phases of the off-season program, which he hates by the way. He does not like phase one and phase two.” So Rodgers chose the first option.

The first two phases are where the teams are not exactly playing football but just testing the waters with the new team. So it makes sense that a veteran would like to stay out of that. But are the Steelers worried about the distraction that he’s causing by choosing option 1? Florio doubled down with, “the guy’s always a distraction, but the Steelers don’t care because he’s dramatically better than anything they’ve had at the quarterback position since Ben Roethlisberger retired. – I really don’t think their plan is Mason Rudolph backed up by Skylar Thompson. – Rodgers could be the difference between them getting to the playoffs almost every year and not winning a playoff game at all since the 2016 season.” So that’s the plan, just wait till Rodgers shows up at the OTAs and let his throws do the talking.

But what does it mean for a locker room that already has three QBs waiting to show what they’ve got? Mason Rudolph had recently made his thoughts known about the matter. He’s always mentally prepared to be benched if Aaron Rodgers shows up as QB1. He’s also ready to make his explosive plays if his number gets called. But what about rookie QB Will Howard?

Will Howard and the Steelers’ quest for QB1

When Will Howard’s name was called in the draft this year, a wave of fresh air swept Steel City. They had another QB. Even the front office seemed thrilled to make the addition. As OC Arthur Smith had notably said, “Obviously, we’re really excited to add Will to our quarterback room.” But is the rookie getting a shot at being the play caller for the team? While the answer to that question is still up in the air, Howard has an even bigger dream that might come true very soon. Picture this, you’re a young QB, you’re looking at the plays made by your favourite QB. While your eyes never waver for one second from the screen, your mind goes, ‘someday, I’m going to be that guy.’ And that’s exactly the deal with Howard.

Will Howard has two weapons in his personal arsenal. He thinks on his feet, and he’s not afraid to take risks. Both of these would have appealed greatly to the Steelers’ front office. But the parallel here is clear. Do we know another guy who’s like this? Aaron Rodgers. Just recently, Will Howard took to a podcast to state his feelings towards A-Rod. Howard’s been “Idolizing [Rodgers] growing up.” He also explained he doesn’t know if Rodgers is indeed joining, but it would be a dream come true for him for sure. He said, “I don’t know what’s going to happen – that’s all over my head. But you know, I’d love to be in a room and learn from him.”

If Aaron Rodgers joins the fray, Will Howard has a chance to see his idol in action. He’ll probably be taking notes the moment A-Rod steps into the locker room. As for the Steelers fans, they’ll be watching with bated breath whether this year’s finally their year. The OTAs are just around the corner, and the wait that has dragged on for months might finally be over soon.