Pittsburgh Steelers' defensive tackle Cam Heyward, made his opinion on Aaron Rodgers very clear on his podcast Monday. Rodgers has been keeping the Steelers in suspense for over a week now as he takes his time to decide on his new team.
When asked if he would help recruit Rodgers to the Steelers, Heyward couldn't have been less interested.
"Either you want to be a Pittsburgh Steeler, or you don't. That simple. That's the pitch. If you want me to recruit, that's the recruiting pitch. You know the Pittsburgh Steelers, if you want to be a part of it, so be it; if you don't, no skin off my back."
Since Heyward made his comments about Rodgers, several NFL analysts have weighed in to disagree with him. Joe Starkey, of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, said on Wednesday that Heyward should be involved in recruiting Rodgers. Starkey said that the Steelers are desperate enough for a quarterback that they don't have the right to stick their noses up at Rodgers.
"The name 'Pittsburgh Steelers' just doesn’t have the juice it once did," Starkey wrote. "The mystique is missing."
Starkey says the Steelers' ever-growing losing streak in the playoffs is one of the reasons the team has lost its allure. He also argues that the expectations for the team are too low and that a 10-win season shouldn't impress anyone. Until the team is harder on themselves, they may not be able to make a deeper run in the playoffs.
Good Morning Football's Kyle Brandt shared much of Starkey's criticism of the comments Heyward made. Brandt said the era of it being considered an honor to join the Steelers is over.
"Cam says he's not going on a darkness retreat, he's already on one," Brandt said. "Cam has not won a playoff game since 2017. He and his whole team have been on a darkness retreat for eight years."
Brandt went as far as to say that if Rodgers signed with the Steelers and played as well as he did with the New York Jets, he would be the best quarterback Pittsburgh has had in a long time. Rodgers has already achieved many of the highest accolades an NFL player can aspire to: Super Bowl champion, and MVP. Brandt argues that Rodgers has nothing left to prove, but Mike Tomlin does.
Brandt conceded that it must be exhausting waiting for Rodgers to make his choice and that Heyward should be tired of talking about it. However, if the Steelers' playoff losing streak grows much longer, Tomlin will be in the hot seat and will need the best quarterback he can find.
Although Heyward is skeptical about helping recruit Rodgers, he was happy to help when it came to other prospects. Maybe the most telling part of Heyward's response to the Rodgers situation, isn't what he said, but what he's done versus not done. In his introductory press conference, newly acquired cornerback Darius Slay named Heyward's convincing tactics as one of the main reasons he came to Pittsburgh. Heyward is clearly not opposed to helping recruit players he sees as an asset for the team.
Rodgers' indecision is equally as telling, however. Many attribute the long wait to Rodgers' ego. It's a fair thing to point out, but maybe Starkey and Brandt's analysis offers more insight. Rodgers could be just as weary of the Steelers as they are of him.
Where Is Rodgers Likely To Land?
Although Heyward and many others have been vocal about their disapproval of Rodgers, there are plenty who still see him as a viable option for the team. It is likely that despite his age and questionable value as a quarterback, Rodgers will have the final say in his new team. With the Minnesota Vikings out of the running, his decision should be easier than ever.
