Mark Madden: Are Steelers showing patience with Brandon Aiyuk or just being played?

There’s a fine line between being patient and being played.

In the case of the attempted acquisition of wideout Brandon Aiyuk from San Francisco, it feels like the Pittsburgh Steelers have fallen into the latter category. If it was going to happen, it would have happened by now.

The Steelers should set a deadline: 24 hours, 48 hours, the sooner, the better. If Aiyuk isn’t a Steeler by then, the Steelers withdraw their interest.

This deal was never going to happen.

Aiyuk would be stupid to leave a legitimate Super Bowl contender to come to Pittsburgh and join a run-first offense where his stats would suffer.

Aiyuk will make $14 million this season. If the 49ers hit Aiyuk with the franchise tag next year, he’d make $22 million. That’s not chump change. Anyway, here’s betting the Niners and Aiyuk strike a long-term deal. (That may be close.)

Did the Steelers get used for leverage? Or was Aiyuk’s interest legit?

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At this point, it doesn’t matter. This spectacle has gone on long enough, as has the nonstop speculation.

Aiyuk would make the Steelers better, sure. Give them a chance at their first playoff win since the 2016 season.

But that would be far from guaranteed. The Steelers still wouldn’t win the AFC North. Wouldn’t go on a playoff run.

Aiyuk is better off in San Francisco’s space-age offense as the Niners attempt a return trip to the Super Bowl.

Aiyuk is very good. He’s probably not worth the $28 million per season the Steelers allegedly offered or whatever the Niners wind up paying. (The Steelers likely overestimate Aiyuk a bit because he ripped them apart in last season’s opener: eight catches, 129 yards, two touchdowns.)

If the Steelers pay Aiyuk, then pay George Pickens when his contract comes due after next season, the Steelers would likely have over $50 million tied up in wide receivers but no franchise quarterback to throw them the ball.

As far as thinking about Aiyuk goes, Pickens says he’s “not really indulging in it.”

That’s less than believable.

It’s a catch-22 for Pickens: If Aiyuk comes to Pittsburgh, he takes coverage away from Pickens. But Pickens would no longer be the No. 1 receiver. He’d lose targets.

Pickens would likely prefer that Aiyuk stay away. Winning isn’t Pickens’ first concern.

• Training camp at Latrobe went well for the Steelers.

T.J. Watt said it was “a lot of fun” and it was “great to see personalities show.”

They shouldn’t call it training camp. They should call it super wonderful crazy fun time, or skippity-do. When Chuck Noll coached the Steelers, he always stressed having fun at training camp.

• Philadelphia coach Nick Sirianni is said to be under fire.

But the Eagles have made the playoffs in each of Sirianni’s three seasons, making it to the Super Bowl in his second year.

Mike Tomlin hasn’t won a playoff game in seven seasons.

But he’s got unparalleled job security.

Sirianni’s Eagles collapsed last season. They lost six of their last seven, including a playoff game.

But Tomlin’s Steelers did the same thing in 2020. They lost five of their last six, including a playoff game. (At home. To Cleveland. Trailing 28-0 after the first quarter.) Tomlin wasn’t said to be in danger then.

The Steelers do things differently.

That used to seem like a good thing.