Right now, it’s safe to say the Steelers are going above and beyond for Aaron Rodgers. Like obviously, Rodgers tested their patience to the extent that the Steelers were willing to throw in the towel. Still, they didn’t lose their composure and waited until Rodgers’ wish to be a Viking met a dead end. That setback led Rodgers directly to the Steelers’ facility. But it may have come at the cost of a tradition that the Steelers weren’t expected to break. So, what’s the sacrifice the Steelers made to get an edge in wrapping the Rodgers deal?
See, Rodgers suddenly popping up in Steel City was already a major surprise after not responding for almost two weeks. Then came another shocking revelation, thanks to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. “I was told the Steelers wanted to make this meeting happen so much, they skipped Michigan’s Pro Day yesterday. Which, if you know the Steelers, that’s a big deal. The whole contingent goes to every big Pro Day, so they stood in town to meet with them.” Looks like Rodgers still has some aura left at 41. I mean, keeping all the Steelers’ top brass in town just to meet you while Michigan’s annual pro day was rolling is something, right? But not everyone.
Interesting nugget from @JFowlerESPN on Aaron Rodgers visit – the Steelers skipped Michigan’s pro day to host Rodgers in Pittsburgh yesterday https://t.co/htFKdy2eUC
— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) March 22, 2025
Surely, you didn’t expect the Steelers to completely ditch the Wolverines’ pro day ahead of the draft. Yes, Mike Tomlin and Omar Khan or even Arthur Smith weren’t present. Still, the Steelers sent DC Teryl Austin as their lone representative. And the one player Austin was there to see? Michigan’s monstrous defensive tackle, Kenneth Grant. A modern-day blend of an athletic big man and a throwback nose tackle. While most of the hype is surrounding his partner, Mason Graham, Grant isn’t far behind the first-round chatter.
Coming off 3 sacks, two fumble recoveries and 5 passes defended season in the Wolverines’ defense. Graham might be expected to be picked in the top 10. But Grant, with those numbers, will most likely be a top 20 pick. So, with the Steelers having a No.21 pick to themselves—don’t be surprised if they use it to draft Grant.
While the Steelers may have identified their young defensive tackle prospect, they lost out on a young yet veteran QB to the Jets. Yep, you know whom I am talking about here. Seeing Justin Fields moving to New York didn’t at all please future Hall of Famer defensive lineman Cam Heyward.
Cam Heyward left with mixed feelings seeing Justin Fields leave Steel City
At one time, the Steelers probably thought it wouldn’t take a lot to keep Justin Fields. But those constant rumors of them favoring Russell Wilson left Fields in a dark spot yet again. With a strong desire to start in the league after showing his dual-threat capabilities in a limited span, Fields moved on. He signed a two-year, $40M contract with the Jets to finally end his ‘what could have been’ Steelers era. While this move may have earned Fields a clear route to becoming a starter, his former teammate in Steel City wasn’t happy at all.
Speaking on Rich Eisen’s show, Cam Heyward expressed his true feelings seeing Justin leave Pittsburgh. “First of all, Justin’s a class act. He’s a guy that works his tail off and wants to lead by example. I was kind of bummed it didn’t work out here. I thought we were going to have a chance to get him. But I know that dude is going to dominate in New York.” So, whatever the reason was, whether it was his cold war with Tomlin or contractual disputes. Their loss was the Jets gain.
Image Credits: Imago
As soon as Fields landed in New York, he couldn’t help but express his excitement about playing under Aaron Glenn. “I know how passionate he is about the game, the way he coaches, the way his players play. So I think that was the biggest thing for me.” Umm!! Was that a jibe to Tomlin? I mean, Tomlin did ignore Justin Fields in favor of Russell Wilson. And you know how that doomed the Steelers’ season. But still, Tomlin didn’t budge and went back to Fields.
So, with determination to prove himself as a worthy starter in the NFL. Justin is now a member of the Gang Green. While the Steelers make sacrifices just to get one year max from a failed Gang Green member. Hypocrisy has its levels, but for the Steelers in their pursuit of Rodgers, it doesn’t have any.
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