Former GM Knows Aaron Rodgers' Absence May Cause A Problem Within The Steelers' Locker Room: "It Speaks Volumes"

The Pittsburgh Steelers are in an awkward position, as they have been throughout the 2025 offseason. The quarterback position has been a major question mark for the organization over the last two years, and the room is completely turning over for the second season in a row. During the 2024 offseason, the Steelers had a better outlook at quarterback because the franchise had two starting-caliber quarterbacks on the roster in Russell Wilson and Justin Fields. The opposite is true in 2025 as no quarterback currently on the roster should be relied upon to start 17 consecutive games.

A big reason Pittsburgh is in an awkward spot is Aaron Rodgers. The veteran has been linked to the team since the first week of free agency, and the two sides even had a successful visit together. If Rodgers wants to continue playing football, his only true landing spot would be Pittsburgh, but he has taken his time making a decision amidst dealing with some issues in his personal life. The Steelers continue to wait to find out what Rodgers will do, and some believe that is a problem.

Ran Carthon, the former general manager for the Tennessee Titans, spoke about Rodgers still not signing. He also touched on the quarterback potentially missing Organized Team Activities (OTAs), and even mandatory minicamp during an appearance on With The First Pick.

"Maybe Aaron Rodgers is a little further along with this Pittsburgh decision, nod-nod-wink-wink agreement, and even what the offense is," Carthon said. "We don't know that. However, I think it speaks volumes for the rest of the team. For a guy that you're gonna be counting on as your quarterback, he's not on the field with you right now when this is the time of year that you start to build the bond."

Pittsburgh's OTAs start on May 27th, while mandatory minicamp is from June 10th through June 12th. Ideally, Rodgers will be under contract and in attendance for these offseason programs, but that does not seem likely at this point. There is more of a chance the veteran quarterback shows up for minicamp, but OTAs seem like a longshot. 

Carthon has a lot of experience in the league, as both a player and an executive. He knows how a locker room will react to a certain situation, and he doesn't believe this is a good scenario for Pittsburgh if Rodgers skips out on OTAs. He did acknowledge the fact that the Steelers and Rodgers may have a verbal agreement, and Rodgers might already have his nose in the playbook, but it is still disrespectful to the rest of the team to cause a distraction throughout the entire offseason and not even show up for OTAs in the eyes of many.

Steelers' Alex Highsmith was recently asked about Rodgers during an interview, and he shared that the team would be excited to see him sign. This is the opposite of what Carthon suggested, but that could just be a facade put on by Highsmith for the public eye. It's possible Carthon is also extremely out of touch with the inner dynamics of the Steelers' locker room.

Steelers' Aaron Rodgers Saga Should Be Over Soon

Whether Rodgers decides he wants to be at OTAs or not, the saga with the veteran quarterback should be over in the near future. With mandatory minicamp beginning on June 10th, he really only has about two weeks to sign his deal. Theoretically he can wait longer, but the coaching staff probably wants him to at least be in the building for minicamp. If he was going to retire, he would have likely announced it already, and he wouldn't have strung the Steelers along throughout the entire offseason. 

Some fans are excited about the possibility of Rodgers wearing the black and gold, while others are annoyed with the way he has handled the offseason and his situation with Pittsburgh. Either feeling is okay, but there is no denying that at this point, he gives the organization its best chance to win in 2025.

What do you think about Carthon's thoughts on Rodgers? Let us know in the comments below!

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