The Pittsburgh Steelers started organized team activities on Tuesday, and yet the talk of the town was about Aaron Rodgers.
So much so, that players like Mason Rudolph had to answer questions about looking over his shoulder despite being the starter.
And in the national media, it wasn't much better on Tuesday...
"We're sitting around talking about Aaron Rodgers is not there on the first day of OTAs, mandatory or not. Where is your pride? Where's your dignity, respect for the game? Where's your respect for this organization? Where's this organization's respect for the history that they have in this league? What are we talking about," asked Joy Taylor on FS1's Speak....
"He's never played there before. He doesn't know any of these teammates. He doesn't know the streets to get to the facility. He doesn't know the doctors. He doesn't know the rehab crew. He doesn't know anything. It's like, why would you not be there? Why am I supposed to take this seriously? It's not about him not being at non-mandatory OTAs for a team that he's been with for 22 years. Do what you want to do. You won five games last year. The year before that, you didn't play because you tore your Achilles. The year before that, you missed the playoffs. What are we talking about?"
While I tend to agree that the whole situation is a mess, asking, more like demanding a player to be at a voluntary workout when he's not even allowed because he hasn't signed a contract is a bit far-fetched.
If Aaron Rodgers isn't at training camp when things kick off in late July, then this energy is fair. But let's hold off on massive hot takes when other Steelers stars aren't even there.
I think people forget that Aaron Rodgers was never a fan of OTAs with the Green Bay Packers, and certainly not the New York Jets. So why would it be any different with a team he hasn't even signed to yet?
That's the question we should be asking.
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