The noise around Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has only grown louder since the Bills blew Pittsburgh out. And now one former NFL player is saying what Pittsburgh fans have been whispering. Every stop Rodgers has made in the back half of his career has come with side plots, drama, and unnecessary headlines.
According to ESPN’s Chris Canty, the Steelers are already getting pulled into it. It is not the type of commentary Pittsburgh wants after trading for the forty one year old quarterback, but ignoring it would be delusional.
This is not coming from a hot take machine hunting for attention. Canty has been consistent all season with his evaluation of Rodgers’ leadership style, and on the show Unsportsmanlike he finally connected the dots.
The quarterback’s late Packers run was bumpy, his Jets tenure became a media carnival, and the Steelers are starting to show the same warning signs. For an offense already under fire, the last thing Pittsburgh needs is their new quarterback adding layers of chaos.
On the latest episode of Unsportsmanlike, Chris Canty did not bother with soft language when evaluating Rodgers’ influence on his new team.
“Aaron Rodgers created a circus-like atmosphere at the end in Green Bay, he did the same with the New York Jets, and it feels like it is trending in that direction with the Pittsburgh Steelers,” Canty said.
His comments landed just one day after the Steelers’ embarrassing loss to the Bills by a score of seven to twenty-six. The offense managed only 166 total yards, converted three of thirteen third downs, and never looked competitive. Rodgers’ own postgame remarks made things worse, as he openly criticized route execution and pointed to miscommunication with tight end Jonnu Smith.
Canty’s point is not empty drama. Rodgers packed his final years in Green Bay with offseason tension, cryptic interviews, and weekly drama that constantly overshadowed football. His two years with the Jets, despite barely playing, still generated months of headlines about his recovery, his interviews, and his influence over team decisions.
During his stint with the Packers in 2021, Rodgers publicly told the Packers organization he did not want to return (even after winning MVP), which triggered wide speculation and tension. In 2022, he skipped all of the voluntary OTAs (offseason workouts) and only showed up for mandatory minicamp. It was a move that reportedly “didn’t sit well with the Packers,” who were worried about chemistry building with a revamped receiving corps.
Analysts at the time suggested that this lack of commitment and public strain jeopardized team cohesion more than on-field talent; one article even said that such “chaos,” more than roster limitations, was the real problem for Green Bay that season.
Now, only weeks into his Steelers tenure, the pattern is reappearing. Public callouts, national television side commentary, and a locker room trying to stabilize an already struggling offense. For Pittsburgh, the question is not whether Rodgers can still play. The question is whether the sideshow grows louder than the on-field product.