After months of speculation and rumors, the Pittsburgh Steelers have finally come to terms with the former Green Bay Packer, Aaron Rodgers, for a one-year contract. Countless individuals guessed as to what could have been the cause for such a lengthy negotiation process; unfortunately, according to Rodgers, the reason for the delay proved to be a tragic one.
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During a recent appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience, one that occurred at a time when he had yet to sign with Pittsburgh, Rodgers clarified that he had “been in the weeds with these people who are close to me that have cancer.”
In light of all the scrutiny that Rodgers has received throughout the past several months, Pat McAfee felt the need to reemphasize the fact that the veteran QB has rarely stiffed his team in recent years.
“He had two people, in his inner circle, that were going through cancer. People that are around him on a regular basis, who depend on him as their employer, he felt obligated to attend. If you look back last year at the Jets, he was there for all the voluntary stuff with the New York Jets. All of it, literally all of it.”
Apart from what both he and Rodgers labeled as “once-in-a-lifetime trip” that was planned many years in advance, McAfee reminded folks that Rodgers has actually maintained a rather stellar attendance record throughout the past two seasons.
According to the former punter, the media’s scrutiny of the 41-year-old legend is as unjustified as it is disingenuous.
“He misses mandatory minicamp, literally for the first time in his career since he was a rookie… It became this massive story of how selfish he was, how he didn’t want to win… All that negative stuff came in. So, he approached this offseason… He didn’t want it to be like last year. He was very upfront with everybody.”
As far as the press is concerned, it appears as if Rodgers just can’t win, no matter what he does. At this point in his career, the reputation of the future first-ballot Hall of Famer is permanently marked by the “diva” label that has long been stamped on his career.
For better or worse, the persona that is Aaron Rodgers is likely to go down in history as one of the most polarizing figures in NFL history. Nevertheless, his former Super Bowl rivals are presenting him with what is perhaps his last chance to go out in a blaze of glory.
The offensive lineup may not be the best in the division, but if there’s anyone who could finally unlock the full potential of D.K. Metcalf, it’s likely a quarterback of Rodgers’ caliber. Factor in the winning traditions of Mike Tomlin, and it seems as if a playoff appearance could very well be in play once again for the Steelers.
