Latest / The Sports Hangover Daily / Steelers Need to Give Rodgers a Deadline—Or Move On | May 7, 2026
Transcript
- Welcome to The Sports Hangover Daily, I'm Michael Benatar. Today on the show: Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers are still in a holding pattern while Arizona tries to slide in, the Stefon Diggs verdict and what it means for his next chapter, the Spurs demolished Minnesota by thirty-eight, and the Knicks survive a real game for the first time this postseason. Let's get into it. So let's start in Pittsburgh, because this Aaron Rodgers situation is getting weird. And not like fun weird. Like, uncomfortable Thanksgiving dinner weird. Here's where we're at. The Steelers slapped the UFA tender on Rodgers. That's about fifteen million dollars. OTAs start May eighteenth. And players in that locker room are openly saying they're counting on him to be there. But Rodgers still hasn't said a word publicly. He hasn't committed. He hasn't said he's retiring. He's just — existing. Somewhere. Probably doing ayahuasca in Costa Rica for all we know. Then on Tuesday, Kendrick Bourne throws a grenade into the whole thing by suggesting the Cardinals are waiting on Rodgers too. Ian Rapoport goes on the Pat McAfee Show and basically says nah, that's not happening. His exact words — "No legs for that one. Do not expect him to sign in Arizona." But THEN, Pat Rooney Jr., cousin to the Steelers' owner, confirms on a podcast that Arizona did in fact call about Rodgers. So there ARE legs. Maybe not long ones, but legs nonetheless. Look, I think Rodgers ends up back in Pittsburgh. He went ten and seven last year, won the AFC North, played the last six games with multiple fractures in his wrist. The guy clearly still wants to compete. But here's what bugs me — the Steelers drafted Drew Allar in the third round. They've got Will Howard. They've got Mason Rudolph. At some point, you need a succession plan, and you can't build one if the forty-two-year-old won't tell you whether he's showing up. Pittsburgh is building a quarterback room around a ghost. And that ghost has leverage because everyone knows the Steelers are better with him than without him. It's a mess. A very Pittsburgh mess. Stefon Diggs was found not guilty on Monday. A Massachusetts jury acquitted him on assault and strangulation charges stemming from an incident last December with his former live-in personal chef. Diggs is thirty-two, a free agent after the Patriots released him in March. He played just one year of a three-year, sixty-nine million dollar deal. The NFL's personal conduct policy could still hit him with a suspension. But this verdict clears a massive cloud. Some team is gonna take a shot on him. He's too talented not to get another look, especially at a discount. Also on the NFL schedule front — Adam Schefter says we're looking at May twelfth through fourteenth for the full release, but it's being held up by a five-game broadcasting package the league is still trying to sell. The Jets confirmed their schedule drops May fourteenth at eight PM. And honestly, the biggest tease right now is whether we get a Super Bowl sixty rematch with Sam Darnold's Seahawks hosting Drake Maye's Patriots. That game keeps showing up on everybody's must-watch list. One more NFL nugget — the A.J. Brown to New England situation feels like it's on cruise control toward happening. The Eagles have added Dontayvion Wicks, Hollywood Brown, and Elijah Moore this offseason. That's a lot of mouths to feed if you're keeping A.J. Reports say a post-June first trade to the Patriots is the most likely outcome, probably involving a future first-round pick. Feels like a done deal that just hasn't been signed yet. Over to the NBA. The Spurs put a beating on Minnesota that was genuinely hard to watch. One thirty-three to ninety-five. Worst postseason loss in Timberwolves franchise history. San Antonio won the first half fifty-nine to thirty-five. That was Minnesota's lowest scoring half of the entire season. Wemby had nineteen and fifteen. Stephon Castle led all scorers with twenty-one. Seven Spurs hit double figures. Anthony Edwards scored twelve. Twelve! He came off the bench and looked completely lost. Minnesota turned it over twenty-two times and got outscored twenty-nine to five in transition. Chris Finch's postgame quote was just two words — "We got punked." Series is tied one to one heading to Minnesota for Game three. And in the East, the Knicks survived an actual competitive game for once. New York beat Philly one oh eight to one oh two after winning their first four playoff games by an average of almost thirty-four points. Jalen Brunson had twenty-six. OG Anunoby had twenty-four with four steals but left late with an injury — something to watch. The Sixers hung around all night but shot four of nineteen in the fourth quarter. That's brutal. Knicks lead two to nothing heading to Philly. Quick hockey check — the Sabres beat Montreal four to two in Game one. Buffalo's power play went two for three after going one for twenty-four against Boston in round one. Rasmus Dahlin limped off late, though, so keep an eye on that. And the Ducks tied their series with Vegas at one apiece. Lukas Dostal came 5.6 seconds from a playoff shutout before Mark Stone ruined it. Anaheim won three to one. Alright, here's your Hangover Take. The Steelers need to set a deadline on Aaron Rodgers and mean it. I'm serious. May fourteenth. That gives him a full week before OTAs. If he hasn't committed by then, you move on. You tell Drew Allar he's the guy. You build your offense around him. Because what Pittsburgh cannot afford is another summer of "will he or won't he" while the entire roster sits around refreshing Rodgers' Instagram for hints. He played well last year. Nobody's denying that. But you drafted a quarterback for a reason. At some point, the future has to start. And if Rodgers wants to play, great — show up and say so. If he doesn't, stop holding a franchise hostage with your silence. Pittsburgh's been too patient. Set the clock and let it run. That's your hangover. Go hydrate. I'll see you tomorrow.