Aaron Rodgers has revealed the nature of his off-field problems which have reportedly delayed him signing with a new team.
Rodgers, who is now a free agent after being cut by the Jets, said previously on the Pat McAfee Show that people close to him were ‘battling some personal stuff.’ Journalist and Rodgers biographer Ian O’Connor added last week that he expected the quarterback’s unspecified ‘personal issues’ to be resolved by the end of May.
Now, Rodgers has shared for the first time what exactly he’s been dealing with.
‘I’ve been in the weeds with these people who are close to me that have cancer,’ he told Joe Roganon his podcast.
Rodgers did not specify who in his inner circle was battling cancer, or how many had been stricken with the disease.
Speaking on 93.7 The Fan, O’Connor shared his belief that Rodgers would end up with the Steelers, but did not want to join the team before he was fully ready to practice.
Aaron Rodgers said on the ‘Joe Rogan Experience’ that people close to him had cancer
Rodgers had previously referred to dealing with personal issues in his life this offseason
‘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,” O’Connor said.
”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.’ So that’s where I think it is.
O’Connor, who authored the book ‘Out of the Darkness: The Mystery of Aaron Rodgers,’ said his ‘feeling’ was that Rodgers would be a Steelers player by mandatory mini-camp on June 10.
Since the Jets announced on February 13 that they planned to move on from Rodgers, the quarterback has been linked heavily with the Steelers.
He also spoke with the Giants and Vikings, though New York signed Russell Wilson and drafted Jaxson Dart to be their quarterback of the future, while Minnesota appear committed to 2024 No. 10 pick J.J. McCarthy.
The Steelers, meanwhile, have yet to truly address their hole at quarterback this offseason, as Mason Rudolph is the team’s current QB1. Pittsburgh did not select a quarterback in this year’s draft until the sixth round, when they added former Ohio State passer Will Howard.
Rodgers has confirmed that he’s spoken with Steelers coach Mike Tomlin, but has previously been non-committal on his future in football.
Rodgers was cut by the Jets this past winter after just 18 starts for the team across two years
He admitted to meeting with Mike Tomlin but said there is ‘no deadline’ to make a decision
He told McAfee that he had ‘no deadline’ on making a decision.
‘I’m in a different phase of my life, I’m 41 years old, I’m in a serious relationship, I have personal commitments I’ve made… and people in my inner circle battling difficult stuff,’ he told the ex-Colts punter.
If the Steelers do land Rodgers in free agency, they’ll be hoping that the quarterback can help them continue their incredible streak of non-losing seasons.
Pittsburgh has not had a losing record since 2003, though they’ve also lost their last five playoff games.
ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky had a rather pessimistic prediction for next season, as he believes Pittsburgh will start the year 0-6.