ESPN's Adam Schefter confirms Packers legend Aaron Rodgers was third on the Steelers' wish list

Future NFL Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers has been the primary target for the Steelers over the past couple of months. However, due to personal circumstances, he ultimately decided not to make a deal—at least initially. For a long time, it was believed that Rodgers had given the Steelers a verbal commitment before signing.

“I just think verbally, behind the scenes, not that he guaranteed it, but he’s told [the Steelers], 'Listen, I'm gonna play for you. I just don’t want to go there and then miss part of mandatory minicamp because of my personal issues. I'm pretty sure they're gonna be solved by the end of May, at least in my satisfaction where I can give you my all,’” Ian O’Connor said.

Rodgers has now officially agreed to the deal, which has put the Atlanta Falcons in a difficult position with Kirk Cousins’s contract. The Steelers were likely planning to contact Atlanta if Rodgers chose not to sign with Pittsburgh.

Now that the Falcons are left absorbing Cousins’s deal, Ryan Clark believes the Steelers’ signing of Rodgers may not be much of an upgrade.

“Aaron Rodgers signing with the Steelers is the worse case scenario. I think he’ll play good enough, & the team will be just good enough to miss out on a franchise guy next year! One of the greatest players of the era, & one of its greatest head coaches… just years too late,” Clark said.

Clark may have a point, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter revealed Rodgers wasn’t even the Steelers’ top choice this offseason.

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“As well as Aaron Rodgers played last year, he still was the Steelers third option. They tried to trade for Matthew Stafford, they tried to re-sign Justin Fields,” Schefter said on Get Up.

Rodgers has had a remarkable career—one that no one can take away from him—but at this stage, the window may be closing. He’s on a one-year deal and facing what could be his final legitimate shot at another Super Bowl title.