Steelers’ Cameron Heyward Clarifies Comments on Aaron Rodgers
In the world of professional football, where every word is scrutinized and every comment dissected, Pittsburgh Steelers’ defensive captain Cameron Heyward found himself in the spotlight for his remarks about the potential arrival of quarterback Aaron Rodgers. A week after his seemingly lukewarm comments about Rodgers joining the Steelers, Heyward took to the airwaves to set the record straight.
Appearing on NFL Network’s “Good Morning Football,” Heyward addressed the situation head-on. “It was misconstrued,” he explained. “I was asked a question, ‘Would you go to the lengths of going to a darkness retreat to recruit Aaron Rodgers.’ I said, ‘I’m not doing that. The pitch is, if you want to be a Steeler, be a Steeler.’ That’s all it was. It wasn’t that I don’t like Aaron Rodgers or I’m against it.”
Heyward’s comments came after a discussion on his podcast, “Not Just Football,” where he expressed his reluctance to participate in a darkness retreat to recruit Rodgers. “I ain’t doing that darkness retreat,” Heyward had said on March 18. “I don’t need any of that crap. Either you want to be a Pittsburgh Steeler or you don’t. It’s that 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.”
For those who have followed Heyward’s career, this straightforward approach is nothing new. However, it did mark a departure from his previous efforts to recruit Russell Wilson before the 2024 season. Back then, Heyward spent over an hour on FaceTime with Wilson, trying to bring him to Pittsburgh. Despite his openness to having Rodgers on the team, Heyward admitted he hasn’t had any direct conversations with the four-time MVP. “I have not had any communication with him,” Heyward said. “I was with some strength coaches that day he was in the building. I think they were trying to get everybody out of the building so they could have a conversation with him.”
Heyward’s message to Rodgers, should he choose to join the Steelers, is clear: “If you come to the Pittsburgh Steelers, the goal is to win. We haven’t had the success we want, but the goal is still in mind to raise the Lombardi and bring the seventh one to Pittsburgh. We don’t really care about the glitz and glam of New York, but the focus is on good, hard football, competing every day, challenging each other, and we’ve gotta go from there.”
The Steelers have been waiting on a decision from Rodgers for more than two weeks, but the quarterback doesn’t appear to be in any hurry to make one even as his potential landing spots dwindle. Wilson, who spent last year with the Steelers, agreed to a one-year deal with the New York Giants on Tuesday night. Rodgers had an offer from the Giants, but Wilson’s deal closed the door on that possibility.
Still, Rodgers is operating on his own timeline. Heyward declined to give a specific deadline of when he’d like to know Rodgers’ decision but said Wednesday he “hopes” it will be done “sooner, rather than later.”
- Heyward emphasized that the decision is ultimately up to the Steelers’ leadership, saying, “I feel like I’m not [coach] Mike T [Tomlin] or [general manager] Omar Khan. That’s a decision they’ve got to make.”
- He added, “When you look at that decision, you’d like it to be done by the draft. But if it’s not, hopefully it’s done before the season, that’s all I care about.”
- Heyward also highlighted the importance of team chemistry, noting, “You want to get to know your team, wide receivers, bringing over DK Metcalf, George Pickens, Pat Freiermuth, Connor Heyward, Jaylen Warren, all these different guys. You put them together, any quarterback’s going to want to create a relationship and a bond there.”
As the Steelers and their fans await Rodgers’ decision, Heyward’s comments serve as a reminder of the team’s focus on building a strong, cohesive unit ready to compete at the highest level. Whether or not Rodgers decides to don the black and gold, the Steelers are poised to continue their pursuit of excellence on the field.
Originally Written by: Brooke Pryor
