Aaron Rodgers is already losing the Steelers locker room without even being there

Aaron Rodgers has always been a polarizing figure. His talent is undeniable, but his well-documented indecisiveness and tendency to operate on his own timeline have rubbed plenty of people the wrong way over the years, including some inside the New York Jets organization during his short stint with the organization.

Now, it appears that same energy is already making waves in Pittsburgh. Rodgers has yet to even commit to playing for the Steelers in 2025, but frustration is reportedly brewing within the locker room.

NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported on an episode of The Rich Eisen Show on Thursday that there are many within the Steelers organization who are frustrated with the team's lack of direction at the quarterback position.

The Steelers report for offseason workouts in just over a week, and the team still doesn't appear to be any closer to receiving an answer from Rodgers, who continues to weigh his options. That doesn't appear to be going over well with his potential future teammates.

"That opinion, from everything I’ve been told, is not solely to Cam Heyward. There are other people, certainly in the organization, the locker room, who are just going like, ‘What are we doing? We’re back for offseason workouts in 10 days. We’re coming up on the draft. What is the plan?’"

Tom Pelissero

Aaron Rodgers has already lost the Steelers locker room

One of the more vocal sources of that frustration has been longtime Steelers defensive lineman Cameron Heyward. Speaking on the Not Just Football podcast last month, Heyward didn’t mince words when asked about Rodgers potentially joining the team.

He made it clear that he has no interest in waiting around like the Jets did two years ago. “I ain’t doing that darkness retreat. I don’t need any of that crap,” Heyward said. “Either you want to be a Pittsburgh Steeler or you don’t. It’s that simple."

Rodgers may have been respected and even admired by many of his teammates in New York, but the off-field distractions that came with him often proved to be more of a burden than a benefit.

Between media tirades, cryptic public comments, and an ever-present sense of drama, Rodgers brought a level of noise the Jets simply didn’t need. Wide receiver Garrett Wilson was notably among those who never seemed to fully click with Rodgers on or off the field.

It wasn’t hostility, but it wasn’t chemistry either. And it added to the sense that Rodgers, for all his talent, came with a price.

The Jets found that out the hard way, and with Rodgers coming off his worst NFL season in 2024, the organization made the decision to part ways with him in the offseason.

Given the scarcity of quarterbacks in this year’s market, the four-time MVP is still, at least on paper, the Steelers’ best option. But the longer this drags out, the more likely it is that his potential future teammates grow resentful of the situation — and possibly of him.

Rodgers may still be the Steelers’ top option, but his indecision is already wearing thin. If he does land in Pittsburgh, he could be walking into a locker room that’s already losing patience.

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