NFL’s announcement of key offseason dates suddenly put Mike Tomlin’s recent comments on Aaron Rodgers’ timeline into focus
The Pittsburgh Steelers continue to be on Aaron Rodgers' watch. While no definitive timeline was given by Mike Tomlin regarding when the team would have to move on from the Rodgers sweepstakes, he did give a line of demarcation. And following the unveiling of the dates of the Steelers' offseason program, you have to wonder […]
The Pittsburgh Steelers continue to be on Aaron Rodgers' watch.
While no definitive timeline was given by Mike Tomlin regarding when the team would have to move on from the Rodgers sweepstakes, he did give a line of demarcation.
And following the unveiling of the dates of the Steelers' offseason program, you have to wonder if that line gets bumped up a bit…
Steelers Offseason Program Dates (OTAs, Minicamp)
The Steelers' offseason workouts will begin on April 21. OTAs (organized team activities) will take place May 27-29 and June 3-5, with a mandatory minicamp on June 10-12.
It is notable that the Steelers only have six days of OTAs scheduled, as the league permits 10.
As per Article 21 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, each club’s official, voluntary nine-week offseason program is conducted in three phases:
Phase One consists of the first two weeks of the program with activities limited to meetings, strength and conditioning, and physical rehabilitation only.
Phase Two consists of the next three weeks of the program. On-field workouts may include individual or group instruction and drills, as well as “perfect play drills,” and drills and plays with offensive players lining up across from offensive players and defensive players lining up across from defensive players, conducted at a walk-through pace. No live contact or team offense vs. team defense drills are permitted.
Phase Three consists of the next four weeks of the program. Teams may conduct a total of 10 days of organized team practice activity, or “OTAs”. No live contact is permitted, but 7-on-7, 9-on-7, and 11-on-11 drills are permitted.
– NFL
“Not to my knowledge," Mike Tomlin told a group of local media at the 2025 NFL owners meetings when asked if there is a deadline on an Aaron Rodgers decision. "I don't know that we've approached it from a deadline perspective. Certainly as I mentioned, you'd like to have settled circumstances, but deadlines don't often bring that to a head. I really wanted to spend more of our time [during recent visit] just getting to know him better and things that he values as a player and a man and what he might be looking for with his next stop…
"…Training camp would kind of be a line of demarcation in terms of that discussion."
While camp may be the line of Demarcation, Rodgers has until the 27th of May, the day OTAS begin before things start to get fishy. If Mason Rudloph is the one taking snaps instead of Rodgers with the first team, there will be serious questions about if he's still coming to Pittsburgh.
