PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Steelers knew signing Aaron Rodgers would create a ripple. They knew bringing in the four-time MVP would be a polarizing choice, but they believe the reward outweighs the risk.
Not all of the Steelers’ fan base agrees, however. The backlash quickly came, especially on social media. One fan shared a video of burning a Minkah Fitzpatrick jersey and ending his team support. The X account Blitzburgh shared the clip, and it caught the attention of team leader Cam Heyward.
The outspoken Heyward called out the fan’s actions with a few criticisms.
“First off, why Minkah’s jersey?” he wrote. “That’s bonkers. Second why burn when there are plenty people that need clothes? Third you are going to regret it!”
The last line of Heyward’s response felt the most impactful from a fan’s perspective. All offseason, the narrative surrounding the Steelers was that they were entering a rebuilding chapter, poised to take a step back in wins for the first time under Mike Tomlin. The arrival of Aaron Rodgers has reversed that sentiment across the locker room and around the league. The entire Steelers’ roster has been overwhelmingly in support of the signing and optimistic about Rodgers’s impact.
That is why Heyward’s response is another example. The defensive captain and the team’s longest-tenured player sees big things ahead in 2025. Whether or not the Steelers can live up to those expectations is still a looming question, but the optimism from the roster is palpable since Rodgers signed his one-year contract.
Heyward is set for another dominating campaign in 2025 himself, which should only help the team’s hopes of winning a playoff game for the first time in nearly a decade. The 36-year-old defensive tackle is coming off an eight-sack and 71-tackle season to go along with a whopping 11 passes deflected. Despite this being his 15th NFL season, he’s still one of the most imposing defensive linemen in the league, eager to lead the Steelers’ defense back to prominence. To put it in Heyward’s language, they’re keen to make everyone regret doubting them in 2025.
