Ryan Clark calls out Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh Steelers for situation surrounding free agent QB

Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers seem to be at an impasse. The veteran quarterback still remains unsigned a little more than a week before the 2025 NFL Draft, and the franchise’s quarterback room is looking a little rough at the moment.

While it seems inevitable that the two will come together for this coming season, nothing is guaranteed. One former Steeler turned NFL analyst is fed up with the situation as a whole, as Ryan Clark took Rodgers and the Steelers to task. He believes the franchise needs to put a deadline on a decision from the quarterback, or simply move on.

“It makes me sick, to be honest,” Clark stated, regarding the Rodgers situation with the Steelers, via Get Up on Tuesday. “Unless Omar — the general manager, Omar Khan of the Pittsburgh Steelers, has some sort of promise, or some sort of lean on Aaron Rodgers, believing that he’s going to come back and play football, and if he does make that decision, he’s going to be a Pittsburgh Steeler, I feel like this has been mishandled already. I feel like, to be waiting, or be to be held hostage by a former quarterback of the New York Jets that’s actually never done anything for you — what has Aaron Rodgers done in the last two years, or since leaving Green Bay, that says he should be afforded this type of time? That says that you should give him the sort of respect that keeps your franchise at bay?

“When I think about this decision, to me, it doesn’t matter what happens going forward. I think it’s been a bad play by the Pittsburgh Steelers already. So, I would give Aaron Rodgers a deadline. When I give him that deadline, it wouldn’t lead me into next week. I would need to know if you’re coming back to play or not this week, and more importantly, if you’re coming back to play for the Pittsburgh Steelers.”

That’s a pointed statement from Clark, and you can’t blame him for his feelings. It’s been a bit of a circus with Rodgers this offseason, and if he does end up deciding to retire or sign with a different franchise, the Steelers are royally screwed in the quarterback department.

Regardless, Rodgers will be trying to put the finishing touches on a Hall of Fame career If he chooses to sign with Pittsburgh. He was drafted by Green Bay in 2005, and after a fruitful career with the Packers, they would trade Rodgers to the Jets in 2023. Rodgers missed nearly all of the 2023 season due to a torn Achilles, but returned in 2024 and led the Jets to a 5-12 record despite throwing for 3,897 yards and 28 touchdowns.

Finishing up his 20th NFL season following the 2024 campaign, the veteran quarterback has thrown for over 62,000 yards with 503 touchdowns during his career. He’s won four MVP awards and a Super Bowl with the Packers in 2011, which came over the Steelers no less. We’ll see what he decides, but Ryan Clark is hoping it’s sooner rather than later.