“By all means, sign with them. They got a really good football team. They’re loaded at pretty much every position.” That’s Brett Favre practically rolling out the purple carpet for Aaron Rodgers to join the Vikings. But guess what? Minnesota just hit him with a “Yeah, we’re good.” They’ve got their eyes set on J.J. McCarthy, knee surgery and all, locking him in as their guy.
So, with that door slammed shut, Rodgers is left scanning the room. And the only teams still making eye contact? The Steelers and Giants—both waiting, both watching, both wondering if Rodgers is about to make a move. But for how long? I mean, it’s not like that they’ll be waiting for A-Rod forever.
That’s where ESPN NFL Nation reporter Rich Cimini comes in. On Wednesday, Cimini reported that the Steelers and the Giants are expected to start their offseason program on April 21. And that, folks, is a soft deadline for the 41-year-old veteran QB. “Both the Steelers and Giants begin their off-season program on April 21. I’d mark that as a soft deadline,” Cimini reported on his official ‘X’ handle. But what’s the rush?
Both the Steelers and Giants begin their off-season program on April 21. I’d mark that as a soft deadline. Rodgers, in a new situation, recognizes the importance of the offseason. It requires time on task for new teammates/coaches to grasp the full Rodgers experience — his… https://t.co/njQp4XYvVx
— Rich Cimini (@RichCimini) March 19, 2025
Well, first, let’s clarify one thing: Rodgers isn’t playing for a hefty contract anymore. The guy’s already the highest-paid NFL player with $381 million in his total career earnings. In fact, the major concern lies with him joining a new offense. See, when Rodgers signed with the Jets, he had Nathaniel Hackett to work with and get used to the Jets’ O-line. This time? Well, he’d be learning a completely different book.
Because let’s be real—on one hand, we have got the Steelers‘ offense that isn’t exactly the kind that suits Rodgers. See it like this: the Steelers’ offensive coordinator, Arthur Smith, already had a rocky relationship with Russell Wilson in the last season. The reason? Well, when Justin Fields was the starter, Pittsburgh used play action 31.1% of the time. And when Wilson took over, the play action dropped to 25.3%.
Now’s the interesting part: with the Jets in the 2024 season, A-Rod used 25.8% play action throughout the season. That said, Smith’s not the kind of guy who would like to work with a QB who would struggle to run the O-line. So yeah, Rodgers will surely require learning a new O-line if the Steelers sign him.
Then there’re the Giants. Well, they’ve got the second-year wide receiver Malik Nabers, who’s coming after a notable rookie season. With Rodgers in the mix, the guy could thrive. But of course, the QB would require to learn the New York team’s offense as well. But what about the teams, coaches, and the teammates? I mean, they also have to grasp Rodgers’ tactics if we’re being honest.
That’s the major concern of Cimini as he wrote, “Rodgers, in a new situation, recognizes the importance of the offseason. It requires time on task for new teammates/coaches to grasp the full Rodgers experience — his unique cadence, elaborate hand signals, etc.” Now, let’s be real—if history had taught us anything about Rodgers, then it’s his clutch plays and hand signals.
His pre-snap cadence? It’s like a drummer setting the beat, keeping the defense guessing. Those hand signals? Think of them as inside jokes only his receivers get—silent but deadly. And with the Giants and the Steelers looking to sign him, their O-line probably needs to learn about Rodgers’ style. With that being said, A-Rod has a sweet 33-day soft deadline from the Steelers and the Giants. But is he going to break his silence?
Aaron Rodgers still has Tomlin and Daboll on the waiting list
Alright, here’s the deal: the Vikings are not signing Rodgers, and that’s for sure. But what about those speculations? Umm, they’re just speculations and nothing else—take one step further, and you could consider them some media-cooked rumors. At least, that’s what Andrew Brandt believes. Brandt has made his name spending years while managing the Packers‘ roster. And how could he let go of those internet-breaking Rodgers-Vikings rumors?
“Vikings and Aaron never made sense. He would be a placeholder for at most a year, more likely just a few games. McCarthy is the future, time to get on with it,” he noted. Indeed! The Vikings are all in for a long-term option and clearly Rodgers isn’t the guy. Guess what? The Vikings already have a long-term option—say hi to second-year QB J.J. McCarthy.
January 5, 2025, East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA: New York Jets quarterback AARON RODGERS 8 in action at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford New Jersey New York defeats Miami 32 to 20 East Rutherford USA – ZUMAa301 20250105_aaf_a301_005 Copyright: xBrooksxVonxArxx
With that being said, the Vikings option is off the table for Rodgers. That means he’s either going to choose the Steelers or the Giants or call it quits and hit the golf course. But the Steelers and the Giants are surely waiting for him. The kicker? The veteran QB is still not ready to answer any of these two franchises. Diabolical.
In fact, if reports are to be believed, Rodgers is still in no rush. As per the ESPN Senior NFL Insider, Adam Schefter, “Nothing related to Minnesota has altered Aaron Rodgers’ timeline. One source monitoring Rodgers’ potential decision about the 2025 season said this morning that the free-agent QB still ‘is in no rush at all.’”
At the end of the day, we’re back to square one. Or should we say the Steelers and the Giants are back to square one? After all those speculations around the Vikings rumors were resolved, Mike Tomlin and Brian Daboll are still probably watching, waiting, and wondering at what happy hour Rodgers would make a call.
The post Aaron Rodgers Receives 33-Day ‘Soft Deadline’ From Mike Tomlin & Brian Daboll as Steelers and Giants Wait for QB’s Decision appeared first on EssentiallySports.
