Rodgers’ biographer, Ian O’Connor, not too long ago appeared on 93.7 The Fan’s “The PM Workforce” and predicted the 41-year-old would put pen to paper by the tip of Might (h/t Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk). Though he declined to reveal the non-public points that Rodgers himself has cited for his delay in signing with a membership, O’Connor doesn’t imagine these points – which pertain to a member of Rodgers’ interior circle – would preclude him from enjoying soccer.
“I simply assume verbally, behind the scenes, not that he assured it, however he’s instructed [the Steelers], ‘Hear, I’m gonna play for you. I simply don’t need to go there after which miss a part of necessary minicamp due to my private points. I’m fairly positive they’re gonna be solved by the tip of Might, no less than in my satisfaction the place I can provide you my all,’” O’Connor stated (through Ross McCorkle of SteelersDepot.com).
Florio beforehand expressed his belief, supported by a supply who is aware of Rodgers however who has no particular information of the present state of affairs, that the eccentric signal-caller might have wished to keep away from being a distraction by signing a contract with the Steelers however remaining away from the group for the early levels of the membership’s offseason program as he types out his private matter. After all, given Rodgers’ standing and the protection that always surrounds him, the truth that he has not signed a contract in any respect is its personal type of distraction. Nonetheless, it’s truthful to conclude that formally becoming a member of Pittsburgh and never reporting in the course of the first phases of the offseason – which Rodgers has overtly opposed anyway – would have invited much more scrutiny.
Florio believes O’Connor was referring to the offseason program on the whole and never necessary minicamp particularly, as necessary minicamp doesn’t happen till June 10. Florio additionally believes there’s a good probability Rodgers could have signed with Pittsburgh by subsequent week, as OTAs get underway on Might 27.
Outdoors of the quarterback place, the Steelers have a playoff-worthy roster and didn’t choose a signal-caller on this yr’s draft till they added Ohio State’s Will Howard within the sixth spherical. As such, the runway may be very a lot clear for Rodgers to return aboard and supplant Mason Rudolph as Pittsburgh’s QB1.
O’Connor, who interviewed 250 folks for his e-book “Out of the Darkness: The Thriller of Aaron Rodgers,” believes Pittsburgh is the “good place” for Rodgers to complete his enjoying profession.
“It could be me as an optimist, however I feel that is gonna work out,” O’Connor stated. “Do I feel the Steelers will win the Tremendous Bowl subsequent yr? No. However in case you instructed me 11-6 with no less than one playoff victory…I feel that’s life like.”
