Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers in a game against the Washington Football Team at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin, Oct. 24th, 2021 — All Pro Reels Photography
Former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver and Hall of Famer Michael Irvin is getting tired of the Aaron Rodgers saga, which is stretching into its third week. He thinks the four-time league MVP, who is often tabbed as an attention-seeker, is making it about himself once again.
“I wanted to see him in Pittsburgh. I thought he would be great in Pittsburgh, when he was in that mode of I’m ready to come in and do what I have to do,” Irvin said on Up & Adams with Kay Adams. “Now when this thing gets dragged out like this, now it’s all about you again. And I don’t know if that works in Pittsburgh. I heard Cam Heyward the other day said, ‘Come on, man. If you don’t wanna play for us, let me know.’ Aaron Rodgers has to make a decision for that reason right there. I would not have this happening because whatever team you go to now, it’s like is it about you or are you happy to be on the team? Pittsburgh I thought was a great place.”
The Steelers hosted Rodgers for six hours last Friday, but he left UPMC Rooney Sports Complex without a contract. That doesn’t mean the visit went poorly, though.
In fact, NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport believes quite the opposite in that it was a very productive meeting.
“As far as the visit,” Rapoport said on the Pat McAfee Show. “It sounded like it went really well.”
Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk also thinks it’s a “safe bet” that the Steelers land Aaron Rodgers. The “when,” however, remains a mystery.
New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers during a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Oct. 20, 2024. — Ed Thompson / Steelers Now
Steelers All-Pro defensive tackle Cam Heyward put out a blunt message to Rodgers last week. Basically saying, you’re either in or you’re out on being a Steeler. That was the statement that Irvin alluded to.
“I ain’t doing that darkness retreat. I don’t need any of that crap,” Heyward said on his Not Just Football podcast. “Either you want to be a Pittsburgh Steeler or you don’t. That’s simple, that’s the pitch. If you want me to recruit, that’s the recruiting pitch. Pittsburgh Steelers — if you want to be part of it, so be it. If you don’t, no skin off my back.”
Heyward clarified his comment during an interview with Rich Eisen on Friday. He doesn’t believe he put the four-time league MVP on notice.
“Everybody gave me crap. They said I called him out,’ Heyward told Eisen. “I don’t think I really called him out. I just said I wasn’t going on a darkness retreat to recruit him. But if he wants to be a Steeler, he can be a Steeler. That’s the pitch. I don’t know why everybody thought, ‘Oh Cam’s really going at him.’ Some fans felt, ‘Oh yeah, keep doing that,’ and the other fans felt like, Oh man, you’re really gonna scare him off.’ I’m not scaring anybody off. I just wanna win games and play good football.”
It will be interesting to see how long Rodgers keeps the Steelers waiting. Multiple reports state that he’s in no rush to make a decision.
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