To accept that Mike Tomlin's made the correct call by bringing aboard Aaron Rodgers would, as I see it, require accepting that he's ever made a single correct call at the Steelers' single most important position.

Setting aside, of course, watching an inherited Hall of Famer, Ben Roethlisberger, show up to work for a couple decades.

Because, ever since then ...

• Tomlin and Kevin Colbert signed Mitch Trubisky, who'd failed miserably in Chicago, early in 2022 with an aim of making him the starter later that year.

• Then, Tomlin and Colbert, always co-conspirators on the NFL Draft under Colbert, chose Kenny Pickett at No. 20 overall in 2022 from a class that'd been known to be bankrupt at quarterback.

• Then, Tomlin replaced Trubisky as the starter with Pickett one month into the season. One whole month. Pickett started the final 13 games.

• Then, Tomlin entered the 2023 camp with Pickett as the presumed starter, though he'd described the position as being open to competition, including Trubisky and Mason Rudolph. The latter, per most observers -- myself included -- outperformed Trubisky and, in practice settings, Pickett. Didn't matter. Rudolph entered the season as No. 3.

• Then, Tomlin turned to Trubisky to start when Pickett had ankle surgery in early December, only to see Trubisky go full-blown circus clown -- five sacks, three interceptions, two touchdowns -- in two terrible losses to the Patriots and Colts.

• Then, Tomlin finally turned to Rudolph, who'd post the NFL's No. 1 passer rating in winning the regular season's final three games to reach the playoffs. All throughout, Tomlin declined to commit to Rudolph, repeatedly referring to him as the "hot hand."

• Then, a week after losing to the Bills in the playoffs, Tomlin and Art Rooney expressed hope of bringing Rudolph back. Only they never made a contract offer, so Rudolph signed with the Titans as a free agent.

• Then, later that same month, Tomlin and Omar Khan signed 35-year-old Russell Wilson, soon to be followed by a trade to acquire Justin Fields from the Bears.

• Then, a week later, another former Pittsburgh quarterback who's not cited in this column at all would tell me, "Mike had it easy with Ben. Never had to worry about the position. Just let Ben do his thing. Never had to manage it. Look at him now."

Still with me?

Oh, good. Because it only gets better ...

• Then, when Wilson was hurt early in camp, Tomlin had Fields lead the Steelers to a 4-2 start while never declaring him the starter. 

• Then, when Fields saw the first small sign of decline, Tomlin replaced him for Week 7 with Wilson, this against the wishes of pretty much everyone in the Steelers' football operations, as Tomlin himself would acknowledge in referring to himself as the 'Lone Ranger' in this decision.

• Then, after Wilson won that Week 7 game, Tomlin boasted in his press conference, "That's why I'm well compensated."

• Then, once Wilson badly wilted toward the end and the Steelers would lose five in a row for arguably the greatest collapse in franchise history, Tomlin stuck by Wilson. Can't imagine why.

• Then, after an embarrassing playoff blowout loss in Baltimore, after which Tomlin never referenced his compensation package, both Tomlin and Rooney again expressed hope of bringing one of the starters back. Even though absolutely nobody under them wanted Wilson back. Even though they'd soon lose both Wilson and Fields, anyway, leaving the Steelers buck naked at quarterback a week into free agency.

• Then, in an apparent panic move, Omar Khan, something of a constant bystander in this specific context, reaches out to Rudolph and, within 24 hours, has him signed to a two-year contract out of free agency. Khan tells Rudolph about the Steelers pursuing Rodgers, but there's no further information.

• Then, Tomlin becomes the lone point man in the Steelers' world communicating with Rodgers for several months.

• Then, just this afternoon, Rodgers tells everyone he'll show up next week and sign.

Forget Rodgers for a moment. Forget that he'll be 42 in December, fresh off a wholly lost 2023 to injury and then a 2024 in which he slogged through 17 games with a lengthy list of even more ailments. Forget the drama, the distractions, all of that.

Forget Rudolph for a moment, too. Not to be that guy, but show me someone who's backing up a quarterback in his early 40s, and I'll show you a busy backup. He might see more action this fall and winter than at any point in his starcrossed career. He'll be fine.

Focus instead on the decision-maker here.

Tell me what, aside from not having revoked Ben's parking pass 20 years ago, Tomlin's done right at quarterback.

Hello?