After suffering through weeks of Aaron Rodgers drama, it looks like there’s an end in sight for the Pittsburgh Steelers. However, general manager Omar Khan and the front office appear to be running out of patience for the four-time MVP quarterback to make a decision.

On Monday, Nick Farabaugh of PennLive suggested the Steelers may have an April 21 deadline in mind for Rodgers to make his final decision. This is when teams with returning head coaches can resume offseason workouts.

This deadline would make sense on a number of levels. Most importantly, it comes just days before the kickoff of the 2025 NFL Draft. The Steelers will need a conclusion to the Rodgers saga before they are on the clock so they know how to approach the draft and how early they must address the quarterback situation.

Now it looks like the Steelers have flipped over the proverbial hourglass, and by the time the sand runs out on April 21, they need an answer.

The Pittsburgh Steelers should not give Aaron Rodgers a deadline to sign

I know this sounds counterintuitive, but if the Pittsburgh Steelers really are forcing Rodgers to make a decision by April 21, this is a bad move on their part. There’s no question Khan and Mike Tomlin want answers. But the last thing they can afford to do is hit the panic button just days before the NFL Draft.

Whether Rodgers signs with the Steelers, holds off on making a decision through the summer, or ultimately elects to retire, Pittsburgh can’t let his choice cause them to make a rash decision in the draft. The 2025 quarterback class is thin at the top and lacks quality depth, but the interest they’ve shown in select prospects already raises concerns.

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Tomlin, Khan, and Pittsburgh’s brass had a Pro Day dinner meeting with Jalen Milroe just before Alabama’s Pro Day. Likewise, this team has expressed interest in Louisville’s Tyler Shough when they brought him in for a top-30 pre-draft visit.

Unless Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders slipped in the first round, there isn’t a quarterback worth gambling on early in this class, and Rodgers’ decision shouldn’t all of a sudden make the crop of quarterbacks more appealing. It’s simply an underwhelming group.

This shouldn’t stop the Pittsburgh Steelers from taking a mid-to-late round dart throw on a QB they believe can be a quality long-term backup with some potential to start, but it also shouldn’t stop them from prioritizing quarterback in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.

Like it or not, Rodgers gives this team the best chance to win and compete in the playoffs in 2025, and if he needs more time to decide, so be it.

We all understand why the Steelers are desperate for Aaron Rodgers to make up his mind before the NFL Draft, but no matter what the veteran QB chooses, Pittsburgh’s brass can’t afford to get desperate for a quick fix in the NFL Draft.