The Pittsburgh Steelers appear to have a very tight-knit locker room under new head coach Mike McCarthy, which is not always the case in the NFL. But Pittsburgh’s roster is filled with experienced veterans and talented, young players, which, so far, have seemingly built a strong bond. Speaking of experienced veterans, it seems as though future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers and legendary Steelers defensive tackle Cam Heyward have become very fast friends.
Rodgers recently appeared on Heyward’s Not Just Football Podcast to discuss plenty of topics as the Steelers get ready to head into the regular season. One topic that both veterans chatted about was their first impressions of one another, which led to a neat story that Heyward wanted to share about his quarterback from this offseason.
The Pittsburgh Steelers Have the Right Person at Quarterback
Here is what Heyward had to say about the impression that Rodgers made on him and his family at his annual barbecue this offseason:
“The thing I’ve appreciated about (Rodgers) the most, and it’s not a stunt. We had our cookout this year. He took time to spend time with my grandma, and that made her freaking day…That just meant a lot to me because you didn’t have to do that…You getting to know people in my life meant a lot to me.”
To become a legendary NFL player, you need to be a great teammate and leader. Rodgers has shown that time and time again, going back to his days in Green Bay. Whether it has been showing up at teammates’ cookouts, appearing at teammates’ graduations, or just being a good person overall, the four-time MVP has been there an awful lot of times for his peers. That can’t be said for every football player or pro athlete. At the end of the day, the leader of any team simply needs to show that they care. Rodgers has fit that bill for a long time.
The Steelers Look to Use Camaraderie as Catalyst
McCarthy appears to have a united team, which is always a great asset. Now, he will look to utilize that togetherness heading into the regular season, which kicks off for the Steelers on Sunday afternoon when they host the Atlanta Falcons. Keep in mind that in Rodgers’ first season with the Steelers, the team won the AFC North for the first time in five years, and it felt like the team was not as comfortable, nor as stacked as it is now.
With the major additions on both sides of the ball, including two-time 1,000-yard wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. and Super Bowl-winning cornerback Jamel Dean, Pittsburgh can more than contend for the playoffs. In fact, it may just be able to wiggle its way into the Super Bowl conversation. Not only are the Steelers defending AFC North champions, but they also have 10 games on their schedule against teams that didn’t make the playoffs last season.
Steelers’ Cam Heyward Shares Heartwarming Aaron Rodgers Story