Ex-Steelers Safety Feels ‘Sick’ With Aaron Rodgers Waiting Game

We’re officially eight weeks removed since the New York Jets announced their split with quarterback Aaron Rodgers, and the Pittsburgh Steelers still have no word on what his plans are heading into next season.

That’s not a good sign.

Rodgers visited the Steelers three weeks ago and spent several hours at the team’s facility meeting with members of the organization before leaving without a contract signature or handshake. Everything has been bleak from that point forward for the franchise that’s already watched last season’s starting quarterbacks, Justin Fields and Russell Wilson, make their departures to the Jets and New York Giants via free agency.

It’s even reached the point of making ex-Steelers safety Ryan Clark “sick” just thinking about the situation.

“It makes me sick, to be honest,” Clark said on ESPN’s “Get Up” on Tuesday. “Unless Omar, the general manager Omar Khan of the Pittsburgh Steelers, has some sort of promise or some sort of lean on Aaron Rodgers, believing that he is gonna come back and play football, and if he does make that decision he’s gonna be a Pittsburgh Steeler, I feel like this has been mishandled already. I feel like to be waiting or to be held hostage by a former quarterback of the New York Jets that’s actually never done anything for you. What has Aaron Rodgers done in the past two years or since leaving Green Bay that says he should be afforded this type of time?”

Rodgers was essentially shown the door and given a cardboard box to gather all his belongings in New York following two seasons of disappointment. The 41-year-old suffered a season-ending torn Achilles in Week 1 of the 2023 season. Then, to bounce back this past season, Rodgers fell (very) short and failed to guide the Jets to playoff contention. So while Rodgers has assembled one of football’s most illustrious careers, there are still multiple risks at play here.

“I think it’s been a bad play by the Pittsburgh Steelers already,” Clark said. “I would give Aaron Rodgers a deadline. And when I give him that deadline, it wouldn’t lead me into next week. I would need to know if you’re coming back to play or not this week, and more importantly, if you’re coming back to play for the Pittsburgh Steelers.”

Pittsburgh has no other choice but to sit back, bite its nails in anticipation and wait.

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