Aaron Rodgers is ... still ... mulling between the Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Giants and retirement. The tea leaves suggest he's ostensibly stalling and leaving the door open for the Minnesota Vikings to swoop him off his feet.
At this point, patience is running thin, namely from New York and Pittsburgh's sides -- and reasonably so. During his Not Just Football podcast, Steelers longtime captain Cameron Heyward personified the frustration mounting as Rodgers' blatant lack of urgency persists.
Heyward's co-host, Hayden Walsh, asked him if he'd join Rodgers on one of his patented "darkness retreats" if it meant the quarterback joining the Steelers. And by the sound of it, the All-Pro defensive tackle has no interest in entertaining the shenanigans.
Cameron Heyward may have scared Aaron Rodgers away from Pittsburgh, or at least Steeler Nation hopes so
"I ain't doing that darkness retreat," Heyward stated before making his straightforward recruitment effort. "I don't need any of that crap. Either you want to be a Pittsburgh Steeler or you don't. It's that simple -- that's the pitch."
Moreover, Heyward said if Rodgers chooses to go in a different direction there will be "no skin off [his] back." Like the rest of us, the Steelers star wants a resolution so everyone can move onward and upward.
"I just want to play football," Heyward voiced. "I'm tired of talking about the quarterback situation. I'd rather have it done. I don't know what ends up happening. I'm ready to move on into free agency."
From an on-field standpoint, Rodgers is no longer a player who merits a dragged-out "sweepstakes," and Heyward knows it. He's seemingly fed up and believes the Steelers shouldn't be chasing waterfalls, especially if they'd rather flow through Minnesota.
The message from Heyward couldn't be any clearer. He's ready to put the Rodgers saga behind him, whether the four-time MVP signal-caller takes his talents to the Steelers or elsewhere. Nonetheless, there's been zero indication that this will end anytime soon.
Rodgers' indecision is holding up their offseason operation and how they proceed. He reportedly has "standing offers" from both teams, so what's the hold-up? Whether the 41-year-old is truly torn between New York and Pittsburgh or is holding out hope for the Vikings or a mystery suitor remains unclear. Maybe hanging up the cleats is more plausible than we think, hence the delay.
Regardless, Heyward speaks for Steeler Nation when he effectively says: "Let's get this show on the road."