Steelers' Cameron Heyward Gets Very Direct On Aaron Rodgers Criticizing His Teammates

The Pittsburgh Steelers have had a very rocky 2025 season, but they still have control of their own destiny despite any and all drama. There has been a little bit of controversy with quarterback Aaron Rodgers, although most of it came when he was waiting to make his decision to sign with Pittsburgh. He also did have a few times where he went to the media podium to call out his own teammates like he has in previous years. There were questions about how things would sit in the locker room with his demanding style.

During an exclusive interview on ESPN, team captain Cameron Heyward was asked about Rodgers' criticisms of the team. Heyward explained the mindset of everyone in the locker room when that happens.

"I think that resonates very well with our group," Heyward said. "We’re mature; we can all handle criticism, and if a guy that’s played as long as he has and done it at a high level can do that, who can't, and who can't receive that criticism? Our guys are very open to being challenged."

From what Heyward said, those public criticisms are not taken in a bad way. Instead, everyone hears that and they do what they can to work on whatever they need to. Rodgers has also gone up to the podium to talk about how poorly he has played, so it's not like he is just throwing everyone else under the bus and avoiding accountability. That part definitely helps his word resonate more in the locker room. 

Rodgers previously called out his receiving corps for not being detailed enough. They responded by showing up to his house to watch more game film, talk about how they can run their routes better and do their respective jobs properly. That proves how well this young group of skill players can react to criticism, as nobody wants to let down the future Hall-of-Famer at quarterback.

As mentioned before, Rodgers is a very demanding field general. He has his way of doing things, and he expects everyone on the team to be as detailed and focused as he is. It seems like the Steelers have lived up to that challenge, and whenever they do slack off a bit, the 42-year-old is not afraid to remind them to get off their butts and do everything that he tells them to. 

That is exactly the kind of leadership that made Head Coach Mike Tomlin willing to wait as long as needed to get the veteran quarterback into Pittsburgh. There had been a lot of drama and controversy surrounding that position for many years now, and it didn't feel like there was a true leader in the locker room on the offensive side of the ball. For a year, it seems like they got that much-needed leadership. 

Steelers Also Brought Rodgers In To Help With The Future

Odds of Rodgers coming back for another year are slim to none, but part of bringing in Rodgers was the hope that everyone would take valuable lessons from him and use that to develop into better players whether he's throwing the ball to them or not. It's to be determined how well that plan will work, but if that ends up happening, the Steelers will consider 2025 to be a massive success.

There is a severe lack of high-end quarterback prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft, which means Will Howard may have to use the lessons that he personally learned from Rodgers to try and lead this team. He could very easily end up being the starting quarterback in 2026, and his goal would be to play so well that the Steelers won't see a need to replace him. Instead, Rodgers' apprentice would get to prove himself.

What do you think about how the Steelers take criticism from Rodgers? Let us know in the comments or on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.

#SteelerNation