Even though there is no green signal from Aaron Rodgers yet, the Pittsburgh Steelers are still banking on the 41-year-old for their franchise quarterback this year. However, with OTAs already underway and a three-day mandatory minicamp scheduled next week, time is running out for the veteran quarterback. Steelers’ insider Gerry Dulac also revealed that if this saga drags on for too long, head coach Mike Tomlin will think about a Plan B. “I believe and have been told that if it’s no Aaron Rodgers, that we’ll find a veteran quarterback to back up Mason Rudolph,” Dulac told the local radio station 102.5 DVE on Monday.

While Tomlin is willing to wait as long as it takes for Rodgers to say YES, latest reports even suggest that the verbal agreement between the Steelers’ HC and the veteran QB does not exist. Pittsburgh’s mandatory minicamp is set to start on June 10. But since Rodgers is not under any contract yet, he will not face any such restrictions. However, considering the waiting time is too long now, Steel City is growing impatient each day, and the question that comes out of it is, ‘Does Rodgers even care about joining the Steelers?’

Some believe that Rodgers is staying away for now to avoid being a “distraction.” But Ross Tucker, an NFL player turned Emmy-nominated sportscaster, argued that if the ex-Jets signal caller really cares about Steel City. On the Ross Tucker Podcast, the veteran center shared his worries for the Packers legend. “Aaron Rodgers has earned the right and has the leverage to do whatever he wants. He just can’t argue he wants to win. He just can’t argue that winning is a priority this year for him.”

Rodgers’ last two seasons with the Jets weren’t great. People were missing the guy who had led the Packers to undeniable victory. So if he does play this year, he will certainly try to turn a lot of the frowns upside down. But Tucker believes staying away isn’t helping his case. “Every day he’s not on the field in a new offense with his new teammates. He’s making it very clear he doesn’t really care that much about trying to win games this year,” Tucker added.

While people around the league believe Rodgers already has the Steelers’ playbook, the reps will still be needed. For him to call shots under center, the team needs to see him in action and understand his plays. So his absence might mean he’s not that serious about winning, after all. As Ross Tucker doubled down, “He has every right to every wants. I have the right though to say that he doesn’t really want to win that badly.” Fans are wondering if Mike Tomlin’s waiting game is really in the best interest of the team. But apart from this chess match with Rodgers, there are other decisions by Tomlin that have caught strays. Not just from the fans or analysts, but from the franchise as well.

Mike Tomlin’s QB decisions vs. the Steelers

Revelations are unwinding around the Steelers locker room faster than ever, all of a sudden. And most of it now circulates around their ex-QB Justin Fields. After joining the Jets, he addressed his departure from the Steelers with a simple statement. “It was different for me and a space I wasn’t really comfortable. But Coach Tomlin made a decision he thought was best for the team.” And as he joins his new team as their starter, he’s also excited about working with HC Aaron Glenn. As Fields had put it, “He knows what it takes to build a team up from the ground up and really get them going. I think that’s why AG is the right guy for the job.” But back in Pittsburgh, questions were circulating about Mike Tomlin long before the last season ended.

According to NFL insider Albert Breer, not everyone within the Steelers franchise was pleased with Mike Tomlin. Specifically, regarding his decision to keep Russell Wilson under center as the last season drew to a close. “I think people (in Pittsburgh’s organization) would tell you that the Russell Wilson thing undermined so many things in the last month of the season, and that a lot of that building really wanted them to go back to Justin Fields. – Tomlin was kind of all on his own on that one.” Insider James Palmer had also revealed that Steelers OC Arthur Smith wanted Justin Fields to stay with the team. As per Palmer, “He thought he could get him some playoff wins. That’s what Arthur Smith thought of Justin Fields.”

Now, it’s also interesting to note that the Steelers tried to bring back Justin Fields. As per reports, they even offered him a competitive deal of “two years, $40 million with $30 million guaranteed.” But Fields has stayed with the Jets. And that brings us to the Week 1 matchup, where the Jets will host the Steelers at MetLife Stadium. As Justin Fields is set to go against his former team, even without Aaron Rodgers in the mix, it’s already shaping up to be one to watch.