The NFL offseason feels like a never-ending seventh-inning stretch—everyone’s waiting for the big swing, but the pitcher keeps adjusting his cap. For the Steelers and Vikings, the Aaron Rodgers waiting game has become a high-stakes standoff, with the clock ticking louder than a play call in a silent count. Will the four-time MVP finally step into the batter’s box, or will teams pivot to a rookie arm with something to prove?

On April 11, NFL analysts Mike Florio and Myles Simmons dropped a truth bomb: Pittsburgh and Minnesota should ditch Rodgers and bet on the future. “I’m taking Shedeur Sanders 10 times out of 10,” Simmons declared on Pro Football Talk. Truth be told, the Steelers’ dilemma is essentially like choosing between a vintage muscle car and a shiny new pickup. “Production equals tolerance,” Simmons added, borrowing a line from former teammate Demarco Farar.

“Is the production enough to tolerate all the other stuff now that comes along with Aaron Rodgers?” mused Simmons. While Florio doubled down, framing the draft as a “calculated risk” where the payoff—a franchise QB—outweighs short-term fixes. “Every draft pick is a calculated risk. It’s a roll of the dice, and you’re willing to take a bigger risk. Or, at least you should be, at the quarterback position. Because if it works you have an answer at the most important position on the field for 10 to 15 years,” Florio suggested. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh’s veterans aren’t subtle.

Cam Heyward, the Steelers’ defensive anchor, summed it up back in March: “Either you want to be a Pittsburgh Steeler, or you don’t. It’s that simple. That’s the pitch.” Simmons cited Heyward and added, “And that sounds more like Mike Tomlin to me than it does anybody else.” Besides, the locker room’s frustration mirrors fans at a rain-delayed game—antsy and eyeing the exits…

With offseason workouts looming and the draft (April 24) approaching, Pittsburgh’s QB room is emptier than a Browns’ trophy case. Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson are stopgaps, not solutions. As Florio noted, “There’s three types of teams. Teams that have a franchise quarterback. Teams that don’t and teams that have a guy where they’re not quite sure and they’re going to give it more time to see which way it breaks.” The Steelers?

“The Steelers right now are in the category of don’t. They don’t,” Florio added. Meanwhile, Minnesota faces its own crossroads. The Vikings traded up for JJ McCarthy in 2024, envisioning him as their next Kirk Cousins. Signing Rodgers now would be like slamming the door on a rookie you’ve already hyped to fans. “I don’t understand why they would deviate from that plan just because Aaron Rodgers is available,” Simmons argued. “JJ McCarthy better be the guy there and if he’s not then we have bigger issues.”

The Aaron Rodgers waiting game reaches a tipping point

Rodgers’ silence isn’t just awkward—it’s strategic. He’s betting on desperation, but teams are calling his bluff. The Steelers explored backups like Joe Flacco, while Minnesota flirted with Ryan Tannehill. “There’s a point where it just feels like the moment’s passed,” Florio warned. Even Rodgers’ six-hour Steelers visit in March feels distant, like Brett Favre’s Wrangler ads.

If Pittsburgh drafts Sanders—a raw but electric prospect—the Rodgers era could end before it starts. Florio likened the move to Green Bay’s Favre-to-Rodgers transition: “You roll the dice when the payoff is bigger, and there’s a bigger chance relative to some of the other positions where the bust rate is lower.” For Minnesota, sticking with McCarthy means trusting the process, even if it feels like rebuilding an engine mid-race.

Aaron Rodgers’ legacy is secure—4 MVPs, a ring, and enough drama to fuel a Yellowstone spinoff. But the Aaron Rodgers waiting game risks tarnishing his exit. As philosopher Yogi Berra once quipped, “When you come to a fork in the road, take it.” For Pittsburgh and Minnesota, that fork is here: Chase fading glory or build anew.

Will Rodgers’ next chapter be a victory lap or a cautionary tale? And more importantly—what’s taking so darn long?