PITTSBURGH (AP) — Mike Tomlin and the Pittsburgh Steelers gave Aaron Rodgers plenty of latitude over the last six months.

They didn’t foist an ultimatum on him after he visited the team’s facility in March. They didn’t panic when organized team activities started in May and Rodgers was still in California mulling his options. They let him mostly hang out during mandatory minicamp in June, a few days after he agreed to a one-year deal . They didn’t make him take a live snap during the preseason, a courtesy Tomlin had not afforded any quarterback — not even Ben Roethlisberger — during Tomlin’s first 18 years on the job.

Tomlin said repeatedly he wasn’t worried. That Rodgers would be ready when the games started to count. That all the hand-wringing about Rodgers needing time to get up

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