The Pittsburgh Steelers’ quarterback situation continues to fuel headlines — and not for the right reasons. With the team still waiting on Aaron Rodgers to make a decision, questions about the future under center are only intensifying. This is nothing new for a franchise that has cycled through quarterbacks since Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement, but the stakes feel different in 2025.
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Aaron Rodgers’ Decision Looms as Pittsburgh Steelers Aim To Avoid Training Camp Circus
The Steelers remain one of the NFL’s flagship franchises, tied for the league lead with six Super Bowl titles. Historically, the Rooney family’s loyalty to its coaches and players has been a stabilizing force. But the pressure is mounting.
Mike Tomlin, now facing sharp criticism for Pittsburgh’s ongoing playoff drought and unsettled QB room, has found himself under a rare spotlight. With national voices calling out the mishandling of the position, the team is bracing for what could become one of the most scrutinized seasons in years.
While Pittsburgh awaits clarity on Rodgers, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero believes how — and when — this drama plays out could have a significant impact on the team’s 2025 preparation.
“Think about the circus in an extremely quiet time of year, whether that is in June or July or August,” Pelissero said on “The Rich Eisen Show” on May 30. “There’s not a ton going on around minicamp time, end of July to start training camp, or even through the preseason.”
The concern isn’t whether Rodgers could help the Steelers in the short term — at least not right now, anyway. It’s about avoiding unnecessary distractions once the team reaches the grind of training camp in Latrobe. Whenever Rodgers shows up, Pelissero notes, it will become a national story.
“Whenever Aaron Rodgers shows up, it’s going to be — maybe not the level of Brett Favre [and the Minnesota Vikings] in ’09 — but it’s going to be a big story,” Pelissero explained. “The media is going to descend. There’s going to be a lot of buzz around it. Every player, every coach is going to be asked questions about it.”
That’s why Pelissero believes the Steelers should push for this circus to unfold sooner rather than later.
“If I’m the Steelers, if I’m a player on that team, if I’m a coach on that team, if I’m the owner of that team, I want the circus to happen as soon as possible,” he said. “I want that done. I want that dead and buried before we show up to Latrobe for training camp.”
For now, Pittsburgh remains stuck in limbo — waiting for Rodgers, absorbing criticism, and still without a clear long-term plan at quarterback. Rodgers, if he signs, buys time but doesn’t fix the deeper issue. The franchise needs to break its cycle of QB uncertainty, and how they manage the next few weeks could set the tone for a make-or-break season ahead.