Steelers Likely Fell Victim To Leak From Russell Wilson's Agent

The Pittsburgh Steelers have reportedly made an offer on quarterback Aaron Rodgers and are just waiting for the former Super Bowl winner to decide. The decision to pursue Rodgers surprised many since the Steelers' brass had been clear that they preferred to bring back Russell Wilson or Justin Fields. They could not solidify a deal with Fields, who chose to sign with the New York Jets. Wilson is still available, but now there are concerns about how much longer that will be the case. 

Then, news was reported that Rodgers would take some time before making his decision, and that did not go over well with much of the fan base. The frustration is understandable, given options for free agent quarterbacks are very limited. So when the NFL insiders tweeted that Wilson was now going to be meeting with the Cleveland Browns and the New York Giants, the fans started to panic.

Steelers insider Mark Kaboly from The Pat McAfee Show and his co-host Chris Mack, broke down what this means for the Steelers on their podcast Kaboly and Mack. According to Mack, the question is whether Wilson will visit these teams to pressure the Steelers or because he was already told his services were no longer needed in Pittsburgh. Kaboly said the way the news broke about Wilson's visits was no coincidence.  

"Just look where it came from," said Kaboly about the announcement Wilson is visiting other teams. "Seven people tweeted it out at the same exact time, in the same exact wording. That tells me the agent sent it to the 'NFL Power Players' in order to get that out there to create a buzz or put pressure on or whatever. He does have to look out for himself. At this point, maybe you want to come to Pittsburgh, but there's no way the Steelers told him, 'You're done, we're not bringing you back.' You just can't tell him that. I mean, he can read the writing on the wall."

Kaboly is likely referring to the big-name insiders such as Adam Schefter, Ian Rapoport, Mike Florio, Tom Pelissero, and Mike Garafalo. They tend to be the ones who get the initial breaking news, which is then passed along to the rest of the nation. He added that he's been saying it is all about strategic "leaks" from agents or players for years. The social media posts are all clearly copied and pasted from the same person, meaning they get fed the information that players or agents want out there and nothing more. 

Regardless, Kaboly doesn't think the Steelers would ever tell anyone they are definitely out on them until they have that person replaced. He sees no chance that the team told him to move on. They always knew there was a chance they could end up desperate and need him back. 

Steelers' Cheap Ways Are Catching Up With Them

The Steelers have been called "cheap" for years, and now fans are complaining that it's catching up to them. At least, that's what Florio thinks. He called the fact that the Steelers wouldn't offer more than the Jets "laughable."

Florio also thinks it might be part of the issue with Rodgers. The Steelers likely assumed Rodgers would come cheap, just like they did with Fields, and now he is dragging his feet. The market for quarterbacks is constantly increasing, and Pittsburgh will have to get used to paying up if it wants to stay competitive. 

Do you think Wilson is just looking for a job, or is he trying to pressure the Steelers? Comment below!

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