Aaron Rodgers
Aaron Rodgers
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has been one of the league’s most criticized players since the COVID-19 pandemic. He was very vocal about his views on masking and wearing vaccines, which quickly became a daily talking point on ESPN’s programming.
Since then, Rodgers has worked with a target on his back. He made that target even bigger at the beginning of August when he went on the Pat McAfee Show at Steelers training camp and called out Anthony Fauci for his testimony in Congress. However, one former NFL quarterback is defending Rodgers’ character ahead of his final season in the NFL.
Former QB Slams Aaron Rodgers’ Haters Ahead of 2026 Season
Chris Streveler was Rodgers’ teammate in 2023, when both of them were members of the New York Jets. Despite all of the noise surrounding Rodgers in the last several years, Streveler went public to set the record straight.
“No, I think he’s always himself. He’s never a fake person. He’s always super genuine. But I think when people have narratives they want to run, they’re able to take things out of context and do what they want to do with that,” Streveler told Action Network’s Kyle Odgeard.
“I’m the guy standing on the table saying, ‘Man, what you hear about Aaron Rodgers is not what you get inside the locker room,'” Streveler added. “There’s a reason you don’t see former teammates coming out saying Aaron Rodgers is an a——. You never see that. It’s only media that tries to make that narrative. All of his teammates love playing with him and have nothing but great things to say. And I’m one of those guys.”
You often see current and former teammates speak publicly about their character in the locker room, on the field and maybe even when the players are hanging out together outside of work. It’s very rare to see a former teammate go to this length to defend Rodgers and his character.
Streveler chose to make this public a little over one week before the Steelers open their season against the Atlanta Falcons; that wasn’t a coincidence. He is correct in that nobody has ever come out and spoken negatively about the 43-year-old quarterback.
Streveler ‘Won’t Count Out Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers
When the discussion about Rodgers isn’t his off-field comments, it’s centered around his ability to perform at 43 years old. He’s in a familiar environment under head coach Mike McCarthy in a system he spent many years playing in at Green Bay. It’s one of the reasons why Streveler believes Pittsburgh can’t be overlooked.
“You can never count him out. They’ve got a talented roster, a good defense, got some weapons on offense. Man, I would love to see him make a run. Wouldn’t that be absolutely electric if the Steelers get hot and go out on a deep playoff run his last year? I’m rooting for a Cinderella story like that.”
The Cinderella story framing may be a bit of an exaggeration, but the point still stands. Every opponent should take the Steelers seriously.
The Last Word
Nobody is saying Rodgers is the kind of person to win a Nobel Peace Prize or end world hunger. However, the way Rodgers is viewed by many fans and talking heads shows they are believing what they want to believe about the Steelers quarterback.
Rodgers isn’t the awful person many are making him out to be simply because of his personal views. Everyone doesn’t have to agree with his views, just like he doesn’t have to agree with their views. The bottom line is people need to live and let live when it comes to Rodgers and his beliefs.
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Main Photo Courtesy of Charles LeClaire – Imagn Images