There remains to be no end in sight regarding the waiting game between the Steelers and Aaron Rodgers.

Mike Tomlin broke his silence with the media today at the NFL annual meeting, the first time he's made any public comments since his end-of-season press conference in January. Since then, the Steelers have seen Justin Fields and Russell Wilson sign with other teams, and have now engaged in a pursuit of Rodgers that’s dragged on since the start of free agency nearly three weeks ago.

And from everything Tomlin said, the Steelers are clearly willing to wait.

"Not to my knowledge. I don't know that we've approached it from a deadline perspective," Tomlin said. "Certainly, you'd like to have settled circumstances, but deadlines don't often bring that to a head."

The Steelers met with Rodgers nine days ago at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex, discussing a number of topics for around six hours. None of that conversation appeared to be centered around contract terms or deadlines. It was all about getting to know one another, discussing a potential fit both on and off the field.

"I really wanted to spend more of our time getting to know him better. Things that he values as a player and a man, what he might be looking for with his next stop," Tomlin said. "It was a really good day. Specifically, he and I, obviously, have known of each other for some time. And so, it was really good to spend some time together, man, and get to know each other more intimately. But, it is free agency. It is a process."

The longer the wait for Rodgers has gone on, the more people on the outside believe the future Hall-of-Famer is dragging the Steelers along. Or, they believe the team is being held hostage as he mulls his options, which seemingly have dwindled down to signing with the Steelers or retiring.

However, Tomlin doesn't appear to view things that way, not in terms of this being an abnormal process or that it's negatively affected the team's approach throughout the offseason.

"I've learned over the years not to be light on my feet from an anticipation perspective. So, I don't know that I'm shocked by anything," Tomlin said on how long Rodgers is taking to make his decision. "I don't feel like our free agency plans have been hindered by anything, to be quite honest with you. Particularly the pursuit of one individual, no."

The bottom line is pretty clear, and it's what's been most apparent all along: The team wants Rodgers because he provides them the best chance to compete in 2025. They pursued re-signing Justin Fields, but that didn't work out. The team moved on from Russell Wilson, allowing him to go sign elsewhere. Of all the remaining options, whether it be free agency or the draft, they identified Rodgers are their best option.

You can't be held hostage if you're willing to wait it out.

Also, Tomlin isn't panicking because the Steelers already have a contingency plan in place. Just a couple of days after the pursuit of Rodgers began, the team reunited with Mason Rudolph, signing him to a two-year, $8-million contract. While that is definitely what most would call "backup money," that doesn't mean he's necessarily viewed as only that on the South Side.

There is an avenue for Rudolph to wind up as the starter in 2025, and they believe he's capable of starting games, if needed.

"I think that's why we acquired him, man. We like Mason Rudolph, but that's no secret," Tomlin said. "We're excited about about having Mason Rudolph back. Our knowledge of him, not only as a player but as a man, it's exciting to have him back. I know he's excited to be back."

The Steelers are also actively doing their homework on all of the potential options in the NFL Draft. Tomlin and Omar Khan have been on their pro day tour, making stops at Alabama, Texas, Ohio State and Notre Dame. They had dinner with Jalen Milroe, they've had multiple meetings with Quinn Ewers and Will Howard. They clearly have interest in options in the draft, though it remains unclear how much of a priority it'll be.

It's undeniable that the Steelers want Rodgers. And with the way this is playing out, it continues to be more of a matter of when, not if it happens. But, they aren't allowing it to dictate the way they want to do things. Tomlin said today nothing about pursuing Rodgers or any external option at quarterback will affect their draft plans. Nor should it. Rodgers would be just another short-term option.

With no true option for a potential franchise quarterback this offseason, it makes sense for the Steelers to wait this out. From their perspective, if Rodgers signs, then great. They have their best chance to win in 2025. They can still draft a quarterback, whether it be in the first round (not likely) or in the third or fourth round (much more likely). And, they still have a fallback in Rudolph.

As far as the future goes, I’m interested in what Khan has to say tomorrow about stockpiling compensatory picks for next year’s draft. You know, the one that’ll be held in Pittsburgh. Drafting the next franchise quarterback, perhaps? With the projected four comp picks on the way, it sure seems as if they’ll have the ammunition to go get whoever they want.

In the meantime, buckle up. The only true "line of demarcation" on having quarterback in place, as Tomlin put it, would be training camp. So, expect this "process" to continue.

"We're weeks or so out away from the draft. Certainly, we'd all like to have settled circumstances, but it is a process," Tomlin said. "The acquisition of talent, whether it's at the quarterback position or all positions, we spend a great bulk of our spring and offseason putting together a 90-man roster. And so, it is ongoing."