Steelers Now
The Pittsburgh Steelers have had three quarterbacks suit up during the first two days of their team OTAs. Aaron Rodgers, still making his decision on whether he wants to play in black and gold, is not one of them. The longer the four-time Associated Press NFL MVP waits, the more he gets on others’ nerves, it seems.
That contingent includes FOX Sports’ Joy Taylor, who ripped Rodgers Tuesday on “Speak.” Her comments made it appear as if she didn’t know he has yet to sign with the team.
“Why? Why? This is the Pittsburgh Steelers! They have six Lombardies!” Taylor said. “They’re coached by a first-ballot Hall of Famer, Mike Tomlin, who’s never had a losing season, and 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 is your dignity? Where is your respect for the game? Where is your respect for this organization? Where’s this organization’s respect for the history that they have in this league?”
Taylor pointed out, too, that Rodgers has a learning curve that will get sharper the longer he waits to sign — if he even does. Foremost, he’ll have to jell with a Steelers receiving group that includes DK Metcalf, Calvin Austin III, Robert Woods, and Roman Wilson.
“He’s never played there before,” Taylor said. “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 anybody. He doesn’t know where to get his smoothies. Nothing. Like, why would you not be there?”
Taylor questioned why she, and, in turn, Steelers fans, should lend Rodgers any credence.
“Why am I supposed to take this seriously?” She said. “It’s not about him not being at non-mandatory OTAs for a team he’s been with for 22 years. Do what you wanna 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.”
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Analyst Rips Aaron Rodgers Amid Steelers OTAs Absence
