Team president Art Rooney II didn’t sound like he knew anything more about the possibility of quarterback Aaron Rodgers signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers than anyone else. In fact, in a way, Rooney sounded as if he knew less.
But Rooney made it clear while speaking to the media at the NFL’s annual league meeting Tuesday that Rodgers doesn’t have any infinite amount of time to make his free agency decision.
“Not forever,” Rooney told reporters, via ESPN’s Brooke Pryor, when asked how long the team will wait for Rodgers. “But a little while longer.”
Rooney’s comment, which could be seen as a message to Rodgers, came a day after Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin essentially said there was no deadline for the quarterback to make a decision.
“I don’t know that we’ve approached it from a deadline perspective,” Tomlin said to the media. “As I mentioned, you’d like to have settled circumstances, but deadlines don’t often bring that to a head.”
Art Rooney II Says ‘Signs Are Positive’ Aaron Rodgers Signs With Steelers
While initially speaking with reporters, Rooney expressed that “positive signs” exist that the Steelers will eventually sign Rodgers. But to explain his reasoning, Rooney simply repeated a lot of facts already circulating in the media.
“We keep hearing that he’s, I guess, headed in our direction, and so that seems to be all signs are positive so far,” said Rooney.
The Steelers team president added that it was a “good sign” Rodgers wanted to throw with new Pittsburgh receiver D.K. Metcalf over the weekend.
Rooney, though, also seemed a little disappointed that Rodgers hasn’t already signed with the team.
“Didn’t envision it taking this long,” added Rooney.
The Steelers hosted the quarterback for a visit at the team facility on March 21. But the quarterback left without signing a contract.
NFL insider Mike Florio suggested Rodgers was visiting to test the Steelers for media leaks. Tomlin explained that the meeting was a way for the two sides to get more acquainted.
“It’s been reported that he spent a day with us, and it was a really good day,” Tomlin told reporters Monday, via Pryor. “Specifically, he and I obviously have known of each other for some time, and so it was really good to spend some time together, man, and get to know each other more intimately, but it is free agency.
“It is a process. I have nothing of any more significance to add other than that.”
Aaron Rodgers Hosts Throwing Session with D.K. Metcalf
In addition to getting to know Tomlin and the Steelers organization better, Rodgers recently had an opportunity to get more familiar with Metcalf.
NFL.com’s Kevin Patra wrote Rodgers and Metcalf had a throwing session, which Rooney mentioned, at UCLA during the final weekend of March.
Similar to Rooney, Tomlin and Steelers general manager Omar Khan are taking that as a positive sign Rodgers will eventually agree to come to Pittsburgh.
“I wasn’t there, but that’s good if that did happen,” Khan told reporters Monday. “I’d say that.”
The Steelers brought back Mason Rudolph on a two-year contract this offseason. If Rodgers doesn’t sign with Pittsburgh, Rudolph could be the team’s fall back option.
Russell Wilson and Justin Fields, who started every game behind center for the Steelers last season, signed with other teams during free agency.
But all signs point to the Steelers getting a deal done with Rodgers. Nothing Rooney said changed that expectation.
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