Colin Cowherd Thinks Steelers Would Be Terrible Fit for Aaron Rodgers: ‘He’s Not a Pittsburgh Guy’
Colin Cowherd of FS1 has been on record that Aaron Rodgers would not be a good fit with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He also thinks his personality wouldn’t mesh well with the Steel City.
Pittsburgh is a blue-collar town that appreciates hard work and loyalty. Cowherd doesn’t see those kind of qualities in the four-time league MVP.
“I don’t know if Pittsburgh gets Netflix. Do they get it there? Look at Netflix. Aaron Rodgers doc. Ayahuasca. Darkness retreats. He’s not a Pittsburgh guy,” Cowherd said on The Herd. “But it’s OK, he wasn’t really a New York guy. (Jets head coach) Aaron Glenn, and I have this source, basically told either Aaron or his agent, it’s not just the quarterback, it’s the guy we don’t want.”
Rodgers is often tabbed as an attention-seeker. He’s also been known to throw teammates and coaches under the bus.
The continued Rodgers’ saga certainly gives off Brett Favre kind of vibes in 2009. Former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver and Hall of Famer Michael Irvin thought Rodgers would be a good fit with the Steelers, but he has a different opinion now after the last three weeks. He thinks Rodgers is making it all about him 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.”
NFL insider Albert Breer revealed in his Monday morning column for Sports Illustrated that Rodgers covets a similar culture to what he had with the Green Bay Packers. If there’s any NFL team that runs a franchise like the Packers, it’s the Pittsburgh Steelers. Both organizations play in blue-collar, small markets and have strong traditions and value stability.
“I’ve heard Rodgers is looking for a culture such as the one in Green Bay. I get it if that sounds a little strange after the drama of the four-time MVP’s final years as a Packer. But over the past few months, Rodgers has been open with people around him on his renewed appreciation for what he had for 18 seasons in Wisconsin,” Breer wrote. “Call it a grass-is-greener dynamic if you want, but it definitely has felt, to some of those around him, like spending a couple years as a New York Jet made Rodgers view the situation he had more favorably. That’s also one area where the Steelers have an edge—Pittsburgh has a long-established culture, a family-business feel, and stability, just like Green Bay. It also helps, I’d think, that the roster is stocked with decorated veterans such as T.J. Watt, Cam Heyward, Minkah Fitzpatrick and now DK Metcalf, who are deep into their careers and presumably would carry a similar win-now urgency to Rodgers.”
Rodgers and Mike Tomlin have always spoke highly of each other, as well. That factor could play a big part in Rodgers’ decision.
“I’m a big Mike Tomlin fan,” Rodgers said in 2021. “I have been for a long time. I like the way he speaks about his team. I like the way that he goes about his business. I like his confidence. I’ve heard nothing but good things from guys that have played there.”
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 Rodgers. The “when,” however, remains a mystery.