“You have to wait for him” - Aaron Rodgers’ former teammate puts pressure on Steelers as 4x MVP delays free agency decision
Super Bowl XLV champion Aaron Rodgers has yet to finalize his future in the league. The 4x NFL MVP quarterback was released by the New York Jets after two seasons. According to reports, the American was offered a contract earlier this week by the Pittsburgh Steelers, who are one of the remaining teams desperate to finalize a starting quarterback for the upcoming season.
Aaron Rodgers could make perfect sense for the Steelers but he has delayed his decision to finalize his move to the franchise. Amidst this holdup, the 41-year-old's former teammate James Jones has asked the Steelers to put some pressure on this negotiation.
On Thursday's episode of The Facility on FS1, the former Green Bay WR explained how Aaron Rodgers is the only good quarterback remaining in free agency and possibly the upcoming NFL draft. He also stated that the quarterback could potentially help lead the Steelers to success this upcoming season.
"I think you got to wait on him now. Aaron Rodgers is the best option left at the quarterback spot...that's including the free agency and that's including the draft," Jones said. "If you're a team that is trying to win and trying to get this thing turned around right now, I think Aaron Rodgers is the guy that can help you do that."
"I think you have to wait for him. When free agency started or when Aaron Rodgers got released, I thought it's going to be tough on my dawg....Everything worked out perfect for him, and now he's the best quarterback remaining when you include the draft and free agency. So they should be knocking down this door right now," he added.
Rodgers and Russell Wilson are the only two notable quarterbacks remaining in free agency. Wilson played for the Steelers last season on a one-year contract but did not live up to expectations. They also released Justin Fields, who recently signed a two-year contract to play for the New York Jets.
NFL Insider spills the beans on the Aaron Rodgers Steelers contract delay
With each passing day, the suspense around the 4x NFL MVP's future continues to grow. NFL Insider Gerry Dulac provided an update on what could be the reason behind the potential holdup for Rodgers to finalize a deal with the Steelers.
In a tweet he shared on X, Dulac stated that the delay is not because of disagreement over money. He stated that the quarterback is just calculating all the possibilities before making his commitment to the Steelers.
"Apparently, the delay in the Aaron Rodgers discussion with the Steelers is not about money. The offer has been made. It's about Rodgers taking his good ol' time about making a decision."
The rumor mill has been churning that apart from the Steelers, the Giants offered Rodgers a two-year $90 million deal. Another potential destination for the 4x NFL MVP is with the Minnesota Vikings, as it was also the final team for Packers legend Brett Favre before his retirement.
If Aaron Rodgers does sign with the Steelers, he will be the oldest active quarterback in the league. It will be interesting to see if he believes that Steel City is the best place for him to win another Super Bowl before hanging up his cleats.