Steelers Got Aaron Rodgers at Perfect Time

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers got Aaron Rodgers at the perfect time. As they end Organized Team Activities and head into minicamp, everyone was asking, yelling about, and frankly starting to try and ignore whether or not Rodgers was going to sign. He did, and the timing is just at the right time.

Aaron Rodgers was not showing up to OTAs wouldn't have been an issue. DK Metcalf wasn't present, Ben Roethlisberger rarely showed up, and if anyone should be focused on a veteran not being there, it's T.J. Watt. At 41-years-old, the four-time NFL MVP has seen enough OTAs to know what they are and that he didn't need to attend.

But if he was signed to the Steelers, the conversation would've been about how he's not there and that it's not mandatory. Instead, it was about how it's been three months, Rodgers has continued to tease the Steelers and string everyone along as he isn't ready to commit to a team, and no one knew when or if it was happening.

That noise got loud. Very loud. So loud, to the point where you started to question if the fanbase was going to turn on Rodgers, even if he was their quarterback.

Then, he signed - or said he was going to. Rodgers is headed to Pittsburgh to ink his deal and become the sixth starting quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers since Ben Roethlisberger retired. He may be the last above the age of 25 for awhile as they try to land a franchise hopeful in next year's draft.

The timing was right on the money, too. If Rodgers signed months ago, no one has anything to say. It's quiet, boring and people are only debating if the 41-year-old should show up when he leading receiver isn't there. But he waited, put himself into a corner where he could've very easily waited longer. If he did, it wouldn't have gone well.

Signing just before minicamp means fans get three days of Rodgers in a Steelers uniform before the break. By the time training camp rolls around, everyone was have calmed from the chaos that we all went through and accepted Rodgers as their quarterback. Fans, teammates and media won't have much left to say.

Maybe Rodgers knew this was the right time. Maybe he just got lucky. Either way, he knew exactly where to walk the line and when to jump before the waters got too deep.

So, here he is, headed to the Steel City. What's to come is yet to be know. By the time the Steelers starting really preparing for the season, though, no one will be talking about Rodgers holding them hostage. They'll just be talking about Rodgers as their starting QB.

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