Aaron Rodgers shook everyone by revealing that he is not ready to commit to any team, as some people close to him are fighting cancer. That’s a big deal. No one knew about the battles the man was fighting. But the Steelers are waiting on him. HC Mike Tomlin traded away their premier QBs, Russell Wilson and Justin Fields. He has already projected Mason Rudolph as their starter in case A-Rod doesn’t join. But there are more twists in this story than any river in the Amazon.

While talking to NFL reporter Mike Garafolo on May 22, the Steelers linebacker Alex Highsmith made some interesting comments. He downplayed all the hype about Aaron Rodgers’s arrival and claimed that even Mason Rudolph proved his worth by taking the team into the playoffs in 2023 with a 3-0 record in the last 3 games. There’s no doubt in their mind that it’s going to be a team effort around the quarterback.

While rejecting the claims that the locker room is distracted by A-Rod, the LB said, “I am just excited (about) whoever is back, that we are gonna have their backs and rally behind them. I just feel like in the locker room, we are just working. That’s just it’s all about. It’s not going to be a distraction.” It reflects the common sentiment among the Steelers camp.

Mike Tomlin has handled bigger players. Just a few seasons ago, he had Ben Roethlisberger. Russell Wilson was here last year. However, the HC’s SB winner QB (Ben) made a huge prediction a few days back. He said that they will win 11 games with Aaron Rodgers and 7 without him (meaning under Rudolph or any other). Now, that rings a bell among the fan bases. More than 15 years have passed since he won his only Super Bowl. Can he win it again?

The preparation for the season begins now. During the camps, workouts, and practice, the players understand each other’s styles and motivations to play.

Steelers’ owner is ready to wait for Aaron Rodgers

Although Mike Tomlin is showing a never-before-seen patience, the owner, Art Rooney II, said in April that they will not wait forever for the veteran QB. But he has some insider news, which forced him to change his stance. While talking to ESPN reporter Jeremy Fowler, the owner said, “A little while longer. I’ll say the same thing.”

Well, almost everyone in the football world wants to know the exact timeline of little. The Black and the Gold start their OTAs next week to June 5. They also have a mandatory minicamp, which will end on June 10. Now, these two programs could have provided the much-needed base for the QB to know his O-line. But there’s no update yet on his status.

Last year, he missed the mandatory minicamp with the Jets on purpose, enjoying his childhood dream of touring Egypt. But mayhem happened upon his return. It ultimately ended with Robert Saleh’s firing. Well, those things might not happen in the Steelers. But they need a trophy. Nothing else is going to work.

Aaron Rodgers also struggled with injuries in the last two seasons. So, Mike Tomlin needs to be very careful. He would have already factored that. He is an experienced person. But only the results can sway the tide in his favor.