Every time that Tomlin checks out the free agency market, it is more of a re-introduction to the players for him because “Ground zero is difficult at this stage of the game.” In simpler words, the head coach and his team keep tabs on the players they would want since their draft days because more often than not “On draft weekend, you don’t always get an opportunity to get the guys you recognize as your type of guys. Those are the guys we hunt in free agency.” Not only is this method an effective way to bring in the required talents but also a quick one.

That’s how he welcomed Elandon Roberts in 2023, seven years after his name was called in the draft. He sat in the parking lot of the University of Houston with Kevin Colbert and talked to Roberts and his father. The same thing happened with Pat Peterson in 2023, who Tomlin got to know through the Florida star’s cousin Bryant McFadden almost a decade before that. And when the time came to bring these in through free agency, it did not take long to recollect information. But for Rodgers, he believes “deadlines don’t often bring that (decisions) to a head.” But the Steel City is now growing impatient.

24 days. That’s how long it’s been since the last time we heard Aaron Rodgers visiting Mike Tomlin and the Steelers in Pittsburgh. But after 2 months since the 4x league MVP turned a free agent, we don’t have any update on what he finally wants to do. Is he planning on hanging his cleats or the upcoming draft has something to do with his Steelers decision? But in Pittsburgh’s “little weird” vibes so far, there’s a new story unfolding. In 17 years of Tomlin leading the Steelers, this is the first time there’s something not so usual about his character.

Mike Florio of NBC Sports talked about Tomlin with Myles Simmons on Saturday. Creatively putting the head coach’s decisions lately, Florio said, “We want volunteers not hostages. Do you volunteer? ‘I don’t know.’ When will you know? ‘I don’t know.’ Well, get back to me when you make a decision. ‘Okay.’ Yeah, there is a point where it seems like it’s completely contrary to Mike Tomlin’s character to wait indefinitely.

“And he has said the line of demarcation is training camp. I just think Tomlin recognizes that regardless of where Aaron Rodgers is now, relative to where he was in his prime, or just a few years ago when he was winning back-to-back MVPs, regardless of where he is in comparison, he’s still a h— of a lot better than anything they’ve had since Ben Roethlisberger walked off into the sun. And he knows that. And Aaron Rodgers would dramatically improve the team.”

Tomlin’s character and people’s viewpoint of looking at it have changed to some extent. The Steelers and former players are questioning why this desperation is necessary for 41-year-old Rodgers, who will reportedly retire next season. Tomlin usually makes quick decisions. But there’s no doubt that with his experience, the former NY Jets star can make a lot of difference immediately to Tomlin’s roster than waiting on a rookie like Shedeur Sanders to learn the system.

Tomlin, in the annual meetings, also said that the team is “extremely confident” that Rodgers will join them. In such hazy and weak talks, Art Rooney II’s statement that the team “will not wait longer” for Rodgers gave a sigh of relief to fans.

But there is also another angle to this story. You must have heard about TJ Watt’s retirement story. The NFL insider reported after TJ Watt’s Instagram story that it’s maybe the Aaron Rodgers decision that is making 30-year-old Watt think about trade or retirement. Well, let’s see when this story ends. But amid this, how do the chances of Shedeur Sanders landing in the Steel City look like?

Steelers’ veterans may shun Shedeur Sanders

The Steelers and Mike Tomlin invited Shedeur Sanders after the Pro Day last week for private workouts at the Steelers facility and dinner. Everything went well with the Colorado Buffs QB giving the meeting a “10 out of 10.” With his draft stocks dropping, many have even put him at the 21st position where the Pitts will easily grab him off the draft table.

However, the Steelers typically don’t do that. Remember Joe Greene or Ben Roethlisberger? The Steelers deal mostly with veterans. These players have played most of the seasons with veteran quarterbacks and bringing in a rookie would mean giving him time to adjust in a system that runs very fast.

Hence, Florio mentioned, “Aaron Rodgers would dramatically improve the team. And I think back to 2004, when Tommy Maddox got injured, and Ben Roethlisberger was inserted into the lineup, and this was fairly early in the season, Alan Faneca, now Hall of Famer, said, ‘I don’ like this.’ Would you want somebody showing up working next to you basically wet behind the ears, the quote was very blunt. It was very direct. And it was ‘I don’t like this.’

“So, if you’re a Steelers veteran, if you are the modern equivalent to Joe Greene and LC Greenwood, TJ Watt, and Cameron Heyward, I’d say you’re rooting for the guy who’s coming in to make the more immediate impact instead of the guy who’s gonna take some time to develop.”

However, Tomlin and Co. did go 15-1 in 2024 and made it to the AFC championship with Ben. Hence, maybe the Steelers can work with an incoming talent instead of continuing to wait for Rodgers to give up his final decision.

And that’s why Myles Simmons also added, “When I think about Steelers, I think about stability, I think about running the football, I think about really string defenses. I don’t think about airing it out, aerial attacks… The quarterback position is really important to everybody but it’s ‘Can you get somebody to run the offensive system that is going to be great for you? And you can command the locker room in all those different types of ways. Certainly, Aaron Rodgers could do that.”

Cam Heyward, TJ Watt these players have experience playing with veterans who have been with the Steelers for a long time. And that’s why the reports think the Steelers veterans would not want the franchise to pick Shedeur Sanders. It doesn’t mean they want a veteran like Aaron Rodgers, but what Mike Florio and Myles Simmons discussed were the characteristics of the Steelers.

Let’s see if the Steelers can make the Aaron Rodgers decision final or if they pick up any draft prospect and go against the tradition. Picking up a new and younger talent and nurturing it for years would make a great deal for Mike Tomlin’s Steelers.