The Pittsburgh Steelers are in a bit of a pickle with Aaron Rodgers, and it’s not just the kind of headache you shake off with an aspirin. Since the offseason kicked off, they’ve been dancing around the idea of signing the four-time MVP, but as of now, no deal’s been inked, and the clock is ticking. Steelers legend Terry Bradshaw, never one to hold back, went off on his former team during an interview with 103.7 The Buzz in Arkansas, calling their Rodgers pursuit “a joke.” “What are you gonna do? Bring him in for one year, are you kidding me?” Bradshaw said, via ESPN’s Brooke Pryor. “That guy needs to stay in California. Go somewhere and chew on bark and whisper to the gods out there.” Ouch. It’s clear Bradshaw’s not a fan of the Steelers’ patience with Rodgers, who’s been dragging his feet while the team waits for an answer.
Owner Art Rooney II has drawn a line in the sand, saying they won’t wait forever, and Tuesday’s start of organized team activities (OTAs) felt like a natural deadline for many in the NFL world. If Rodgers doesn’t sign soon, he might miss his shot with Pittsburgh, leaving the Steelers to roll into 2025 with Mason Rudolph under center. That’s a scenario Bradshaw, and likely many Steelers fans, aren’t thrilled about, especially given the team’s 26-28 record and their absence from the playoff picture. The pressure’s on, and Rodgers’ no-show at OTAs only amps up the drama.
But Bradshaw’s frustrations don’t stop with Rodgers. He’s also got beef with how the Steelers handled Kenny Pickett, their former first-round pick who’s now a Cleveland Brown after a brief stint in Philly. “I liked Kenny Pickett,” Bradshaw said. “I liked him at Pitt. I know him, I know what he’s like. When they got him to Pittsburgh, they didn’t protect him, they didn’t get him an offensive line. They wanted to run the football, but they didn’t have an offensive line that could protect and they didn’t have weapons. He had no wide receivers to speak of.” Bradshaw’s point? Pickett didn’t fail—the Steelers did. They gave him two years, an offense that didn’t fit, and a line that couldn’t block, then labeled him a bust. It’s a harsh critique, but it resonates, especially as the Steelers navigate another quarterback conundrum.
This Rodgers saga, combined with Bradshaw’s take on Pickett, paints a picture of an organization at a crossroads. The Steelers are desperate for a franchise quarterback, but their approach—waiting on Rodgers while potentially overlooking other options like Kirk Cousins—has fans and legends alike questioning their strategy. Bradshaw’s words might just be the tip of the iceberg if Pittsburgh struggles in 2025. The NFL’s a tough place, and the Steelers know it. They’ve got to get this right, or the headaches will only get worse. For now, it’s Rudolph at the helm, but with Bradshaw’s voice echoing in the background, the pressure’s on to find a long-term solution before it’s too late.
