Steelers Still Might Not Land Aaron Rodgers

While the Pittsburgh Steelers are presumptive favorites to land Aaron Rodgers, it's not a foregone conclusion that he'll ultimately come to terms with the team.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport acknowledged that the Steelers are at the forefront of the sweepstakes for the four-time MVP, but retirement still appears to be weighing heavily on his mind.

"It seems that for Rodgers, it's going to be the Pittsburgh Steelers," Rapoport said on "Good Morning Football". "Certainly, the team he visited, certainly the leader in the clubhouse for Aaron Rodgers. Or he's gonna say, you know what, 'I'm not gonna play this year,' or 'I'm not gonna play right now.' That's still up in the air."

With the Minnesota Vikings opting against a pursuit of Rodgers, at least for now, while the New York Giants brought in both Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston, Pittsburgh seemingly has no competition for Rodgers' services at the moment.

He visited the team's facility last Friday, where he reportedly met with coaches, discussed the potential fit for both sides and got an overall lay of the land.

A deal was not consummated while the parties were together, but it's only felt like a matter of time for nearly the entirety of Rodgers' free agency.

The expectation is that he'll make his decision in short order, and if the Steelers are his choice, he'd step into a win-now situation with a head coach in Mike Tomlin whom he's expressed his respect for in the past and a roster that has immense talent on both sides of the ball.

Retirement does loom large, however, as the future Pro Football Hall of Famer will turn 42-years-old in December.

Rodgers considered hanging up his spikes following the 2022 campaign, and it wasn't until after his infamous "darkness retreat" that he was traded from the Green Bay Packers to the New York Jets.

Pittsburgh should still feel optimistic about its chances of signing him, but it's not a sure thing until the pen hits the paper.

Make sure to bookmark Steelers On SI to get all your daily Pittsburgh Steelers news, interviews, breakdowns and more!