The Pittsburgh Steelers took a gamble this offseason, waiting on QB Aaron Rodgers this spring and throughout voluntary OTAs. There were plenty who questioned the wisdom of waiting for a 41-year-old quarterback whose Most Valuable Player days appeared to be well behind him.
Plus, there was the near-constant talk about how much of a selfish person Aaron Rodgers could be. It’s one thing to overlook that when he’s winning MVP awards. It’s another thing when he’s part of a 5-12 team like the 2024 New York Jets.
But that Rodgers hasn’t surfaced with the Steelers. By all accounts, he’s been a fantastic teammate and leader. Just ask longtime Steelers DT Cam Heyward.
“He’s always been about the team,” Heyward said Thursday, per video from the team’s website. “Whatever’s misconstrued outside of here, it’s been fun to really just get to know him. He’s been bought in since he’s gotten here. We joke off the field, but we do challenge each other and try to make sure we have the right pulse of the team. I think it’s just about communicating and making sure we can go forward.”
People questioned whether Aaron Rodgers could play in offensive coordinator Arthur Smith’s system. He didn’t have any of his guys, whether coaches or players, in Pittsburgh when he arrived. And sure, the Steelers signed WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling, one of Rodgers’ former teammates in Green Bay. But that was two days ago and to their practice squad.
Rather than try to take over, Aaron Rodgers became part of the Steelers. He’s stepped in as a leader, as Heyward said. No one expected anything less than that. After all, he’s a four-time MVP and Super Bowl MVP.
But there’s a difference between a leader in the locker room and a football dictator. People thought Rodgers would be the latter; to Heyward, he’s been the former. And Rodgers is doing that while keeping the Steelers’ offense competent. He’s completed 68.7 percent of his passes, only 0.2 percent off his 2021 season mark, his last MVP year with the Packers. He throws for a touchdown on seven percent of his passes, the same as the 2021 season.
While no one will mistake this version of Aaron Rodgers for prime Rodgers, he’s been a fantastic fit with the Steelers. He helped keep the Steelers afloat while their defense struggled, and he could help guide this team into the playoffs if he continues to play at this level. He’s been an exemplary teammate, and Cam Heyward appreciates that.
While Aaron Rodgers may only spend one year in Pittsburgh, he’s shown the franchise, his teammates, and his coaches respect while stepping into his role as leader of the offense. He certainly hasn’t been the boogeyman that Heyward thinks the media made him out to be.
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