Mike Tomlin is learning harsh Aaron Rodgers lesson NY Jets fans could've told him

Aaron Rodgers thinks a lot about himself. Maybe he has earned that. He has been successful enough in the NFL, though he probably should have more than one Super Bowl ring. Still, there is no doubt he is one of the best quarterbacks of his generation. His issue, which was a problem for the New York Jets over the last couple of years, is that Rodgers is so darned mercurial.

He is a bit like the ghost of Christmas yet to come, as the quarterback simply shows up when he wants to. Be with his teammates during mandatory minicamp in 2024? Nah. Who needs to build rapport when there is a vacation to take in Egypt?

While Rodgers is an extraordinarily gifted quarterback, he might not be a good fit in every locker room. He will see himself as bigger than the rest of the team. An organization needs a strong and long-term head coach to put Rodgers in his rightful place as a member of the roster and not the team's owner.

Mike Tomlin should ask the New York Jets for some advice about quarterback Aaron Rodgers

That is why the constant rumors about the quarterback ending up with the Pittsburgh Steelers make logical sense. He is no longer an MVP-worthy player, but he still produces at a decent level. Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin, the longest-tenured coach in the league at 18-plus years, also has earned the respect to ensure the on-field product is run his way.

But even Rodgers is already holding Tomlin at bay. At this point, there is no guarantee the quarterback will play anywhere. This would have meant that the Steelers waited and waited for Rodgers with no result. Maybe that is the team's fault and not the quarterbacks', though. Rodgers doesn't owe Pittsburgh anything.

Still, that waiting part is no fun. Just ask the New York Jets and their fans. We could assume that Rodgers would be the quarterback, but he made fans nervous when he decided to have priorities outside of the sport when it was his duty to focus on football. Does Tomlin feel the need to wait on Rodgers, too?

According to Mike DeFabo of The Athletic, Tomlin is willing to risk it.

Asked if the Steelers had set a deadline for Rodgers to make up his mind about signing with the team, Tomlin said, "Not to my knowledge. You know, I don't know that we've approached it from a deadline perspective. Certainly, as I mentioned, you'd like to have settled circumstances. But, you know, deadlines don't often bring that to a head."

Ultimately, Pittsburgh will need to decide if Aaron Rodgers is worth the risk of waiting. Is he truly going to transform them to get them back into competing for a championship, and only for a short time? If he disrupts the locker room and causes issues for Tomlin, how will that go over? Maybe Tomlin and the Steelers should call the Jets for some strong advice.

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