It is not everything, but it is something. In their quest to find a viable starting quarterback for next season, the Pittsburgh Steelers seemingly rolled out the red carpet in an attempt to appease Aaron Rodgers. While he already has an offer from the team, his six-hour visit on Friday was all about getting to know the organization. The aging Rodgers was recently let go by the New York Jets.
While the Steelers remain the favorite to sign the former NFL MVP and future Pro Football Hall of Famer, this latest maneuver by the Pittsburgh brass was incredibly feckless. Rather than attending the Michigan Wolverines' Pro Day, they were full-force on courting Rodgers. Michigan was not great last season, but made the College Football Playoff three years in a row and offers four potential first-rounders!
Let's be real. As long as the Steelers end up with Rodgers, Pittsburgh can sweep under the rug the notion they completely mailed it in with the following top-40 prospects: defensive tackle Mason Graham, cornerback Will Johnson, defensive lineman Kenneth Grant and tight end Colston Loveland. It would be such a shame if one of those four Michigan stars ended up going to an AFC North rival ...
Pittsburgh may end up drafting other players, but Michigan is one of two pro days you have to go to.
Interesting nugget from @JFowlerESPN on Aaron Rodgers visit - the Steelers skipped Michigan’s pro day to host Rodgers in Pittsburgh yesterday https://t.co/htFKdy2eUC
— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) March 22, 2025
The other big one of note this year was Georgia's, who have three players worthy of being top-32.
Pittsburgh Steelers passed on Michigan Pro Day for Aaron Rodgers visit
Look. I am not going to harpoon the Steelers if they do not end up taking a Michigan player in the 2025 NFL Draft. What does have me almost losing it is you owe it to yourself to scout these players who could conceivably go to other teams to try and beat you. Obviously, not everyone can be everywhere all at once, but Michigan and Georgia were the two Pro Days of note not to pass up.
While I think it would be a bit of a stretch to say Graham, Grant, Johnson and Loveland all end up playing for teams like the Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns, someone is bound to end up being drafted by an AFC team of note. The one team I am actually worried about among those three has to be Baltimore. Guess who probably has an in with the Michigan program?
This is the latest example of why I just want this current era of Steelers football to be over with already. For as long as Mike Tomlin wins nine or more games a season, he will be empowered to do whatever he wants. Nothing is ever going to change for as long as he is in charge. Rodgers may play great for the Steelers next year, but he is old, brittle and may no longer be an MVP-caliber player.
I would hope that the Steelers draft someone like Jaxson Dart or Jalen Milroe to back up Rodgers.