Madden Monday: Past Steelers heads 'would have made the decision by now' on Aaron Rodgers

On Sunday, Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said that he has yet to give Aaron Rodgers any sort of deadline as to when he would need an answer about playing quarterback for the franchise.

During this week’s “Madden Monday” podcast, Mark Madden of TribLive and 105.9 The X said that’s an indication of Tomlin being “a mark” for Rodgers.

“His national profile is declining, and (Tomlin) wants that headline: ‘Hall of Fame coach gets Hall of Fame quarterback in Pittsburgh.’ And that’ll be temporary because we know they’re not winning a playoff game with Rodgers or without Rodgers,” Madden said. “But that’s what Tomlin wants. That’s why it’s important to him.”

Madden said the Steelers of days gone by never would’ve allowed themselves to be subject to the whims of any individual player, as we have seen in this instance.

“Dan Rooney would not have waited this long. Chuck Noll would not have waited this long. Bill Cowher would not have waited this long,” Madden said. “If those three guys were in charge — any of them — the Steelers would have made the decision by now, not wait(ed) for Aaron Rodgers.”

From a perception standpoint, Madden thinks the Steelers are taking a hit.

“The bottom line is, they don’t know what’s going to happen,” he continued. “Rodgers clearly hasn’t decided. The longer it goes, the more desperate the Steelers come off, and the more desperate the Steelers really are, never mind the impression.”

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Some have advanced the idea that Tomlin is smitten with the notion of acquiring Rodgers because it gives him the best possible chance of maintaining his personal streak of never having posted a losing season.

Well, Rodgers would provide a better chance than rolling into 2025 with Mason Rudolph as the starter.

“I used to think that streak by Tomlin wasn’t that important because it happened organically,” Madden said. “But I’m beginning to think now that that streak is more important to Tomlin and the Steelers than I thought it was. Because the best Rodgers could do is come here and keep that streak alive. That’s the best he could do. And they seem to think that that’s a good enough reason to bring him in — as opposed to starting Rudolph and going 5-12, and then maybe you get Arch Manning (in the 2026 draft) … or whoever.”

Madden seems to think that would be a more prudent decision than reaching for a signal caller this year.

“If Rodgers still hasn’t made up his mind by the time the draft comes, I think they’ll be very tempted to panic-draft a quarterback in the first round — maybe Jaxson Dart from Ole Miss,” Madden concluded. “When you look at all that’s happened with the quarterback situation, how could anybody with a brain not draw the conclusion that the Steelers are badly, badly mismanaged?”

Also, in the podcast, Madden and I discuss Sidney Crosby’s highlight close to the month of March, the Pirates’ gimpy start, and a Western Pennsylvania influence at the Frozen Four.