If reports from 93.7 The Fan and national media outlets are accurate, the long-expected wait for Aaron Rodgers’ return to the Pittsburgh Steelers is just about over.

The word from The Fan Morning Show is that Rodgers is scheduled to be in town by Friday morning. Their anticipation is that he’ll sign a contract over the weekend to be the franchise’s starting quarterback for a second consecutive season.

Should that occur, there is an irony that needs to be addressed.

The instant Aaron Rodgers signs that contract, we will immediately stop talking about Aaron Rodgers.

The moment Rodgers puts pen to paper and is working out with the team once again, the man whose own documentary is entitled “Enigma” suddenly becomes one of the least interesting storylines surrounding the franchise. That’s because, once Rodgers is here, we all know what we are getting.

Rodgers is a smart quarterback with plenty of arm left, who has command of the offense. He also doesn’t want to be hit and will get rid of the ball as quickly as possible.

We will be watching a 42-year-old QB who is probably good enough to get the team to nine or 10 wins, but isn’t good enough to lead this club to a playoff victory for the first time since 2016.

That’s who Rodgers was last year. It’s who Rodgers was yesterday. It’s who Rodgers will be on Monday once the contract is signed. It’s who he’ll be in September when the season starts. And it’s who he will be in February when the season is over.

 

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Take that as a compliment toward Rodgers. Take it as an insult to Rodgers. I really don’t care. It’s just the truth.

At this stage of his career and his life, Rodgers really can’t be much more than that. So long as he can lace up cleats, he’s probably never going to be less than that either.

Once Rodgers is officially back in the fold, that’s when everything besides him matters.

• How can head coach Mike McCarthy and offensive coordinator Brian Angelichio get more out of Rodgers than Mike Tomlin and Arthur Smith did a year ago?

• Can Michael Pittman Jr. and Germie Bernard really make the wide receiver room significantly better?

• How is the offensive line going to be reconfigured with the additions of Max Iheanachor and Gennings Dunker? Is Troy Fauntanu switching sides, switching positions or staying at right tackle? What about Spencer Anderson, Dylan Cook and Broderick Jones?

• What’s the snap share going to be between Rico Dowdle and Jaylen Warren? Is Kaleb Johnson ever going to see the field?

• How will the tight ends be used this year compared to 2025?

• Which of the two young quarterbacks (Drew Allar or Will Howard) is more capable of being a backup to Rodgers? Or is the club keeping Mason Rudolph?

• Are fun toys like Eli Heidenreich, Kaden Wetjen and Riley Nowakowski going to make the team — or get any reps once they do?

• Is the defense better or not after the free agent acquisitions?

Every single one of those topics is more interesting than Rodgers once the “enigma” of Rodgers actually signing disappears.

I am sure part of Rodgers loves that, and part of him hates it.

No one is better at making himself the center of attention — while talking about how much he hates attention — than Rodgers.

Watch his March 4 appearance on Pat McAfee’s show if you need an example.

Rodgers is good enough to keep the Steelers at least relevant into the holidays. For 2026, the other three QBs probably aren’t.

Prior to regular-season games, once Rodgers arrives, that means I really don’t have to talk about him again until he gives me a reason to do so.

Which — who am I kidding — will surely happen by Memorial Day.

LISTEN: Tim Benz and Chris Adamski discuss the potential signing of Aaron Rodgers, his young backups and the offensive line.

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