Steelers Update: Aaron Rodgers Down to Three Options

The Pittsburgh Steelers have appeared to be the front-runner for Aaron Rodgers' services since officially jumping into the fray, but the Minnesota Vikings have stealthily hung around on the periphery of his market.

Though the Vikings' braintrust of general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and head coach Kevin O'Connell seem content with delegating quarterback responsibilities to 2024 first-round pick J.J. McCarthy, who did not play as a rookie due to a knee injury, the possibility of a Rodgers pursuit has posed somewhat of a threat to Pittsburgh's chances of landing him.

The four-time MVP reportedly pinned Minnesota as his preferred destination given his preexisting relationship with O'Connell and the opportunity to join a roster that's primed to contend among other reasons, but the organization itself has refrained from reciprocating that same level of interest.

After speaking with Vikings personnel, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler stated on "SportsCenter" that the team currently has no plans of shifting gears and attempting to bring Rodgers in.

“The Minnesota Vikings, is he waiting them out?" Fowler said. "That is sort of a lingering question out there, but when I talked to people with the Vikings, this is all but dead for them, essentially. Maybe if he’s available later in the summer, they would revisit, but just seems unlikely at this point. So it’s Steelers, retirement or bust.”

Perhaps Minnesota would reconsider its stance on the matter if McCarthy isn't progressing as expected in the coming months and Rodgers is still available, but that's not a particularly probable scenario at this point.

As Fowler mentioned, it does feel as though the 41-year-old's decision will come down to signing with Pittsburgh or hanging up his spikes, the latter of which he's openly contemplated in the past.

The Steelers hosted him for a visit on March 21, and owner Art Rooney II said that, "all signs are positive so far," when discussing the team's chase for Rodgers at the annual league meetings.

There's still no timetable for a resolution, however, and while the organization is optimistic about their chances, the lack of clarity is a bit nerve-racking with just over two weeks before the start of the NFL Draft.

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