Stacy Revere/Getty Images Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers looks to pass during a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Lambeau Field on October 3, 2021.
On Friday March 4, 2022, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (PFT) reported that per his source, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers already “has specific deals lined up with (multiple) teams—and those teams have trade compensation lined up with the Packers.”
On Monday March 7, Florio appeared with The PM Team on 93.7 FM The Fan (Pittsburgh) and clarified the situation that exists between Aaron Rodgers’ representatives, the Packers, and the three other teams that he regards as possible destinations for Rodgers, including the Steelers.
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“There are deals in place; there is a menu from which Aaron Rodgers is choosing his destination,” said Florio, before indicating that as he understands it, “it’s Broncos, Steelers, Titans as the alternatives to the Packers, so he is choosing one out of four teams.”
As to how the deals between the teams came together, Florio indicates that the Packers communicated the following to Rodgers’ representatives:
– Where they would be willing to trade him
– What they are looking for in terms of compensation
Then Rodgers’ agent, David Dunn, worked out the parameters of trades, while also addressing Rodgers’ would-be financial compensation should he be dealt to one of the aforementioned clubs, as a contract extension would presumably be involved, since Rodgers is scheduled to become a free agent in 2023, as per overthecap.com.
“When the Packers say they haven’t engaged in trade talks for Aaron Rodgers, they are technically telling the truth because they haven’t done it,” added Florio. “Rodgers’ people have done it, with the blessing of the Packers to go out and find the alternative destinations with the advance approval of the Packers.”
According to Florio, “There are already deals in place for how much (Rodgers) is going to get paid. It’s very simple. He’s sitting at the IHOP with a menu and there’s four items on it: Broncos, Packers, Steelers (and) Titans and he’s got to pick one,” he concluded, adding color to his menu analogy.
What Happens if Aaron Rodgers Chooses the Steelers?
So what will happen if Rodgers, 38, says he wants to play for Mike Tomlin and the Steelers? At that point the Steelers and Packers would communicate directly, with all parties already having an “understanding” (Florio’s word) for what it would take for the trade to go forward.
“It’s the needle that David Dunn has set up and you just thread it. It’s a big needle and it’s a small piece of thread, assuming everyone trusts each other—and trust is a big part of this,” elaborated Florio. “Now we’ve seen things fall apart before when there were informal understandings but that’s what would happen.”
As for the chances of the four-time league MVP choosing the Steelers over the other clubs, it’s a tough call, which perhaps explains a recent report from Ian Rapoport of NFL Network indicating that Rodgers is “truly torn” about which team to choose.
“Everybody is saying the Broncos and it wouldn’t surprise me if he goes there because he has familiarity with (new head coach) Nathaniel Hackett,” Florio told The PM Team, referring to the former Packers’ offensive coordinator. “But the closest thing to the Packers in the AFC is the Steelers. I think we can all acknowledge that; everything about the organization lines up with the Packers. If he wants a similar experience, he comes to Pittsburgh, so I can understand why they would be an option. Whether or not he chooses them is a completely different issue altogether.
Aaron Rodgers: ‘I am a Big Mike Tomlin Fan’
But it’s worth noting that during the 2021 season, Rodgers publicly professed his admiration for Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin during one of his weekly appearances on The Pat McAfee Show.
“I am a big Mike Tomlin fan,” said Rodgers. “I have been for a long time. I like the way that he speaks about his team. I like the way he goes about his business. I like his confidence. I’ve heard nothing but good things from guys who have played there.”
The two even shared a moment when their respective teams played each other in October of last year.
Aaron Rodgers and Mike Tomlin. Pals.
Now it’s easy to start wondering whether Tomlin might be a significant factor in terms of Rodgers possibly choosing the Steelers over the alternatives.
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Steelers on the ‘Menu’ for Aaron Rodgers; ‘Parameters’ of Trade in Place: Florio