If Aaron Rodgers thought Pittsburgh fans were just gonna roll out the red carpet and let him moonwalk into town, Snoop Dogg just put him on notice. The rap legend and die-hard Steelers fan laid it down on ESPN’s First Take, throwing some brutal honesty at Rodgers: “Is he gonna show up to minicamp and all that other stuff? Because that’s what’s important,” Snoop barked.

“If you don’t get the rhythm of the team, then we don’t need you, homie. You gotta come in here and do what needs to be done to get the rhythm and the chemistry. That’s what’s missing… We don’t need no diva, so to speak. If he’s gonna sign, sign, but if not, kick rocks.” Yup. Straight from the Doggfather himself: no rhythm, no ride.

And that’s exactly the drum Pittsburgh is marching to right now as they wait—impatiently—for Rodgers to finally make up his mind. But you can’t blame the Steel City for feeling frustrated. Because, after all, they are waiting on the guy who denied them the Lombardi Parade. AR led the Packers to a 31-25 win over the Steelers in SB XLV. So, you’ve got to feel for them.

Meanwhile, with the NFL Draft raging on and quarterbacks flying off the board, the Steelers have been stuck in a weird Rodgers limbo. President and owner Art Rooney II hopped on Steelers Nation Radio Friday and gave a little glimpse behind the curtain. And let’s just say, Pittsburgh isn’t planning a rookie revolution anytime soon.

“We’re still kind of getting the same signals that we’ve been getting recently,” Rooney said. “He does want to come here, so I do think we may get word soon.” Translation? Rodgers still wants in…eventually…maybe…if the stars align…and Mercury’s in retrograde.

In the meantime, the Steelers are playing it cool. Real cool. They passed on quarterbacks like Shedeur Sanders(who’s having the toughest Draft, by far) during Friday’s action. Instead, they grabbed running back Kaleb Johnson with their No. 83 pick. Rooney made it clear that if Pittsburgh does snag a QB later, he’s not being drafted to take the keys away from Rodgers — or whoever’s under center.

“If we draft a quarterback — and we still might — it’s probably not someone who’s going to start for us this year,” Rooney explained. “It’s going to be somebody that will be developing and may play down the road. It’s not like somebody that’s going to have a big impact on this season if we draft a quarterback.”

In other words, no rookie uprising. No accidental Brock Purdy Part Two. If Rodgers signs, he’s The Guy. If he doesn’t, well… time to hit the Plan B playlist. The Steelers, though, aren’t panicking. They still only have Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson in the QB room. But with four picks on Day 3 and a whole lotta prayers being sent Rodgers’ way, Pittsburgh seems willing to wait just a little longer.

Maybe it’s loyalty. Maybe it’s desperation. Or maybe it’s just believing that eventually, Aaron Rodgers will hear Snoop’s words in his sleep:
“Sign, or kick rocks.”

Does Aaron Rodgers still have it?

The AR Saga has felt longer than a 12-play drive with three penalties, but behind the scenes, Pittsburgh’s been quietly confident. Now, Art Rooney II is making it clear in public: they think Aaron Rodgers is their guy for 2025. Pittsburgh’s moves in the draft back that up. Twice they’ve been on the clock — No. 21 and No. 83 — and twice they passed on quarterbacks. You think that’s a coincidence? Nah, that’s a signal. They’re betting on Rodgers to wear black and gold this fall.

But, there’s always that one variable you can’t quite game-plan for — and this time it’s Kirk Cousins. Could the Steelers pivot and trade for Cousins if the Falcons are willing to eat most of his massive $37.5 million bill? Maybe. But based on Rooney’s comments, it sounds like they aren’t interested in Kirk. You don’t flirt with the idea of a Rodgers era just to settle for a pricey Plan B. Also, keep an eye on George Pickens. If he sticks around for the final year of his rookie deal, that’s another breadcrumb — they’re all-in on giving Rodgers real weapons.

Now, about Rodgers’ 2024 season… let’s just say it was a little bit of a mixed bag. Suiting up for the Jets, he threw for 3,897 yards, notched 28 touchdowns, and coughed up 11 interceptions. His 90.5 passer rating and 63% completion rate weren’t exactly MVP-level, but they weren’t practice-squad numbers either.

Some Sundays, he looked like vintage Rodgers — remember that four-touchdown torching of Miami on January 5th? Other times, not so much — like when he posted a brutal 44.0 passer rating against Buffalo with two picks. That’s football for you. So, that’s why at 41 years old, Rodgers isn’t out here promising the world. He’s made it clear this isn’t about cash. “It’s not about the money,” he said. “It’s about team fit and circumstances.” Word is, he’s even willing to play for just $10 million.

So it’s not whether Pittsburgh can afford him — it’s whether they can give him the right stage. The real question you gotta ask yourself: Does Rodgers have one more playoff run in him? Because that’s the only thing that could make him the hero in Steel City.