DK: The inescapable Rodgers cloud ... that's still so stupid
DEJAN KOVACEVIC / DKPS
These overwhelmingly overcast skies might as well have been wearing a No. 8 jersey.
No, really, that's how it felt, at least from this singular perspective on the sideline as the Steelers undertook the first drills of the first day of OTAs this morning at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. No matter what route was run, or throw was thrown, I'd press a figurative pause in mid-arc and wonder how it'd look with Aaron Rodgers making it.
Yeah. I know. A soon-to-be-42-year-old Rodgers. A version that no other team, notably the pathetic Jets, his employer of the previous two years, sought out for the 2025 NFL season. Not the Vikings, who'd rather start a stone-cold rookie in J.J. McCarthy. Not the Saints, even after Derek Carr's been lost to a shoulder injury. Absolutely nobody.
Well, OK, there's one.
Whatever. I've made my stance on this clear countless times, and I'm of no mind -- or mood -- to retrace it. But I do feel it's fair to share, on this day and in this setting, that it seems crazily counter-productive to not begin setting the stage for:
• The season at hand • The collective identity • The longer-term quarterback scenario
The first one, I'd hope, would be obvious. There'll be another week of OTAs, then the mandatory minicamp. That's when Arthur Smith's playbook begins the installation process. And a month later, it'll be off to Latrobe. This is football. Every fiber of familiarity matters, doubly so for a newcomer, and many, many times over for one at the most complex and important position.
The second one ... I mean, what is this team until it identifies a QB1?
And to the third one, it's been beautiful to observe Omar Khan doing the most un-Steelers-like thing of all in stockpiling excess draft picks and cap space toward 2026, optimally toward pursuing more options to be the franchise quarterback. But there's no benefit to throwing these coming 17 starts into the trash in that specific regard.
Look, I'm hardly anointing Mason Rudolph as that franchise quarterback. He wouldn't do that himself. He'd expect to earn it, and he'd expect to do so beyond that uplifting-for-everyone finish in 2023. But we've all witnessed Sam Darnold, Geno Smith and others blossom only after being given real, if late, chances into their respective careers. That can be all it takes.
I'm also hardly anointing Will Howard. He had a tremendous trajectory at Ohio State, culminating at the very top of college football. He's got all the tools, not least of which is energy that's more akin to electricity. But he's yet to take a solitary snap in anger at this level, and I share the Steelers' internal view that it'll take time.
Still, what if he himself gets Rudolph-ed?
What if he's stuck at No. 3 on the depth chart into infinity?
Sorry, but I just hate this. All of it.
Except for the part, predictably, where Rudolph carried himself with class after the practice in speaking with reporters for the first time since signing his contract a couple months ago -- he hadn't wanted to do so until there was clarity at QB1, but hey -- and being candid about his status.
"That's nothing new to me," he'd say of the Rodgers speculation. "There's been constant noise. That's the nature of the NFL. I've been used to that for a long time now. I do nothing but be the best I can be and help our team get better this spring."
Yep. And to be clear, don't weep for him. He's fine. He's in a good place, focused on the very real opportunity that remains in front of him. Especially after 2023, no one should doubt whether he'll prepare for what's ahead regardless.
• And what others had to say on the quarterback subject, including this gem from Pat Freiermuth: "I love Mason. He's a hell of a guy and a hell of a teammate. A great locker room guy. Two years ago, we needed to win three games in a row to make it to the playoffs and he stood in the pocket and delivered for us. We've got all the faith in him, and it's exciting to get back out here with him."
• T.J. Watt, DK Metcalf, Darius Slay, Isaac Seumalo and a handful of others weren't here, based on video taken by our staff through the allowable period before the formal drills. I can't state this strongly enough: Doesn't matter. If they're here, awesome. If not, it's voluntary, and it's been negotiated by the NFL and the NFL Players Association to have it that way. Heaven knows that union, the weakest in professional sports, hasn't had many Ws over the decades. Respect one of the few it's achieved.
• If Watt isn't here for mandatory minicamp next month, let me know.
• Cam Heyward couldn't have been more correct with this, related to OTAs: "I think sometimes we put so much stock into the offseason where we can get caught up into thinking it's everything. Yes, it can help. Yes, guys can get better. But, who's to say you can't get better outside of here. I hate to point to it, but last year I missed all of OTAs. So, it didn't really help me."
Nope. He was magnificent.
• Minkah Fitzpatrick was here. Hadn't seen that coming, but he was. Maybe it's because he, unlike Cam, could use a changeup.
• Just me and Patrick Queen talking green dot:
• Just talking with Queen makes me miss Elandon Roberts all the more. They'd better have gotten that one right. Still no logic to trying to bolster the run defense while losing the guy who had 14 tackles in the Baltimore playoff game.
• I spent a little time with Roman Wilson away from his group interview. Liked what I heard. He gets what Pittsburgh's expecting from him and why, and he sounds like he's embracing it. But, as he put it, "I can't do anything about last year." Nope. Eyes forward.
• This might've been the coolest sight all day:
ALYSA RUBIN / STEELERS
Awesome to see Cam Johnston back to booming punts -- and beaming. "I feel terrific," he told me, pointing down to the surgically repaired knee. "Never better."
• No, Broderick Jones wasn't available, but he sure was wanted. As he strode off the field, he did so directly to about two dozen reporters waiting to ask him questions ... but then was told he was needed inside for routine testing. Speaks to how pivotal he's seen as being.
• Two more days of this, Tuesday and Wednesday. Thanks for reading.
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THE ASYLUM
Dejan Kovacevic
6:26 pm - 05.27.2025South SideDK: The inescapable Rodgers cloud ... that's still so stupid
DEJAN KOVACEVIC / DKPS
These overwhelmingly overcast skies might as well have been wearing a No. 8 jersey.
No, really, that's how it felt, at least from this singular perspective on the sideline as the Steelers undertook the first drills of the first day of OTAs this morning at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. No matter what route was run, or throw was thrown, I'd press a figurative pause in mid-arc and wonder how it'd look with Aaron Rodgers making it.
Yeah. I know. A soon-to-be-42-year-old Rodgers. A version that no other team, notably the pathetic Jets, his employer of the previous two years, sought out for the 2025 NFL season. Not the Vikings, who'd rather start a stone-cold rookie in J.J. McCarthy. Not the Saints, even after Derek Carr's been lost to a shoulder injury. Absolutely nobody.
Well, OK, there's one.
Whatever. I've made my stance on this clear countless times, and I'm of no mind -- or mood -- to retrace it. But I do feel it's fair to share, on this day and in this setting, that it seems crazily counter-productive to not begin setting the stage for:
• The season at hand
• The collective identity
• The longer-term quarterback scenario
The first one, I'd hope, would be obvious. There'll be another week of OTAs, then the mandatory minicamp. That's when Arthur Smith's playbook begins the installation process. And a month later, it'll be off to Latrobe. This is football. Every fiber of familiarity matters, doubly so for a newcomer, and many, many times over for one at the most complex and important position.
The second one ... I mean, what is this team until it identifies a QB1?
And to the third one, it's been beautiful to observe Omar Khan doing the most un-Steelers-like thing of all in stockpiling excess draft picks and cap space toward 2026, optimally toward pursuing more options to be the franchise quarterback. But there's no benefit to throwing these coming 17 starts into the trash in that specific regard.
Look, I'm hardly anointing Mason Rudolph as that franchise quarterback. He wouldn't do that himself. He'd expect to earn it, and he'd expect to do so beyond that uplifting-for-everyone finish in 2023. But we've all witnessed Sam Darnold, Geno Smith and others blossom only after being given real, if late, chances into their respective careers. That can be all it takes.
I'm also hardly anointing Will Howard. He had a tremendous trajectory at Ohio State, culminating at the very top of college football. He's got all the tools, not least of which is energy that's more akin to electricity. But he's yet to take a solitary snap in anger at this level, and I share the Steelers' internal view that it'll take time.
Still, what if he himself gets Rudolph-ed?
What if he's stuck at No. 3 on the depth chart into infinity?
Sorry, but I just hate this. All of it.
Except for the part, predictably, where Rudolph carried himself with class after the practice in speaking with reporters for the first time since signing his contract a couple months ago -- he hadn't wanted to do so until there was clarity at QB1, but hey -- and being candid about his status.
"That's nothing new to me," he'd say of the Rodgers speculation. "There's been constant noise. That's the nature of the NFL. I've been used to that for a long time now. I do nothing but be the best I can be and help our team get better this spring."
Yep. And to be clear, don't weep for him. He's fine. He's in a good place, focused on the very real opportunity that remains in front of him. Especially after 2023, no one should doubt whether he'll prepare for what's ahead regardless.
But still ... man, this seems stupid.
• Here's everything Rudolph had to say.
• And what others had to say on the quarterback subject, including this gem from Pat Freiermuth: "I love Mason. He's a hell of a guy and a hell of a teammate. A great locker room guy. Two years ago, we needed to win three games in a row to make it to the playoffs and he stood in the pocket and delivered for us. We've got all the faith in him, and it's exciting to get back out here with him."
• T.J. Watt, DK Metcalf, Darius Slay, Isaac Seumalo and a handful of others weren't here, based on video taken by our staff through the allowable period before the formal drills. I can't state this strongly enough: Doesn't matter. If they're here, awesome. If not, it's voluntary, and it's been negotiated by the NFL and the NFL Players Association to have it that way. Heaven knows that union, the weakest in professional sports, hasn't had many Ws over the decades. Respect one of the few it's achieved.
• If Watt isn't here for mandatory minicamp next month, let me know.
• Cam Heyward couldn't have been more correct with this, related to OTAs: "I think sometimes we put so much stock into the offseason where we can get caught up into thinking it's everything. Yes, it can help. Yes, guys can get better. But, who's to say you can't get better outside of here. I hate to point to it, but last year I missed all of OTAs. So, it didn't really help me."
Nope. He was magnificent.
• Minkah Fitzpatrick was here. Hadn't seen that coming, but he was. Maybe it's because he, unlike Cam, could use a changeup.
• Just me and Patrick Queen talking green dot:
• Just talking with Queen makes me miss Elandon Roberts all the more. They'd better have gotten that one right. Still no logic to trying to bolster the run defense while losing the guy who had 14 tackles in the Baltimore playoff game.
• I spent a little time with Roman Wilson away from his group interview. Liked what I heard. He gets what Pittsburgh's expecting from him and why, and he sounds like he's embracing it. But, as he put it, "I can't do anything about last year." Nope. Eyes forward.
• This might've been the coolest sight all day:
ALYSA RUBIN / STEELERS
Awesome to see Cam Johnston back to booming punts -- and beaming. "I feel terrific," he told me, pointing down to the surgically repaired knee. "Never better."
• No, Broderick Jones wasn't available, but he sure was wanted. As he strode off the field, he did so directly to about two dozen reporters waiting to ask him questions ... but then was told he was needed inside for routine testing. Speaks to how pivotal he's seen as being.
• Two more days of this, Tuesday and Wednesday. Thanks for reading.
Want to participate in our comments?
Want an ad-free experience?
Become a member, and enjoy premium benefits! Make your voice heard on the Steelers, Penguins and Pirates, and hear right back from tens of thousands of fellow Pittsburgh sports fans worldwide! Plus, access all our premium content, including Dejan Kovacevic columns, Friday Insider, daily Live Qs with the staff, more! And yeah, that's right, no ads at all!
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