Right around noon on Tuesday, ESPN's Adam Schefter offered up the definitive word, announcing that the Pittsburgh Steelers will not be trading for receiver Brandon Aiyuk.
Not "at all,'' he said firmly. "I don't expect Pittsburgh to be a landing spot at all.''
But two hours later?
"The Steelers and 49ers re-engaged in conversations mid-day today regarding Brandon Aiyuk, per league sources,'' Schefter wrote.
Did the Steelers change gears here?
Or did Schefter - notorious for simply taking "sources'' texts as fact and reading them on air or posting them on social media without actually checking on their validity - goof?
In the end, ESPN is contradicting itself and (maybe) pretending that something drastic happened over lunch.
What is clear: Two had created a "framework" of a deal that would see the San Francisco 49ers trade away Aiyuk , and those teams were/are the Patriots and the Steelers' arch-rival Browns.
What we suggested very early Tuesday morning: If the Steelers appeared to be "out,'' it could be simply because either Pittsburgh or San Francisco was attempting to create pressure on the other in a way to move the needle of the offer.
And now? A bidding war is brewing for the 26-year-old's services.
This wouldn't be the first time that talks between the Steelers and Niners have occurred, and we know that, too. Pittsburgh's quest to land Aiyuk dates back to even before this past April's NFL Draft when the Steelers were in talks to land Aiyuk.
New England wants to give a player and a pick. Cleveland reportedly wants to offer the same, with Amari Cooper as the player. Aiyuk wants a new contract worth, we believe, $30 million APY.
And Schefter wants to be right about the Steelers ... and actually, one of his reports ultimately will be.
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