Ben Roethlisberger is buying the emerging theory as to why Aaron Rodgers hasn’t yet signed with the Steelers despite meeting with team brᴀss and working out with their new star receiver, DK Metcalf.

After the Giants signed Russell Wilson and the Vikings committed to J.J. McCarthy, Pittsburgh seems to be Rodgers’ only real option left.

Unless the Vikings have a change of heart.

“I think Aaron secretly is still holding out for Minnesota, which is why he hasn’t signed with the Steelers,” Roethlisberger, the former Steelers QB who led them to two Super Bowl тιтles, said on his “Footbahlin” podcast this week. “Why else would you go throw with DK and be working out and put it out, blast it to everybody that I’m throwing to these guys, but you won’t sign?”

Rodgers, 41, reached out to Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell earlier this offseason to discuss a possible union, but Minnesota wants to hand the reins to McCarthy, last year’s first-round pick who missed his entire rookie season following knee surgery.

It would take a meltdown by McCarthy this spring for the Vikings — who went 14-3 last season — to circle back to Rodgers, according to ESPN.

Rodgers is coming off a roller-coaster two-season stint with the Jets that fell well short of the Super Bowl expectations that came with his 2023 trade from the Packers.

He tore his Achilles four plays into the 2023 opener, thrusting Zach Wilson back under center, and although Rodgers returned to play every game this past season, the Jets went 5-12 while firing head coach Robert Saleh and GM Joe Douglas during the season.

The new regime of head coach Aaron Glenn and GM Darren Mougey decided to move on from Rodgers, instead signing Justin Fields to a two-year, $40 million contract after he made six starts with the Steelers last season.

Roethlisberger did say he believes Rodgers will ultimately be a Steeler, which tracks with what owner Art Rooney II said at the annual league meeting this week, stating he “keeps hearing” Rodgers is coming to town.

“To be honest with you, not really a lot of options out there for you,” Roethlisberger said.

The six-time Pro Bowler added he thinks the Steelers will draft a quarterback later this month, but that “it’s just a matter of how high.”

Whether Rodgers has put pen to paper by then will likely impact that decision.