Steelers' Cam Heyward to Aaron Rodgers: Either you wanna be a Steeler or you don't

Cameron Heyward is tired of being in the dark about Aaron Rodgers’ potential signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Rodgers has put the Steelers — as well as the New York Giants and Minnesota Vikings — on hold regarding his football future. He hasn’t made a decision a week into NFL free agency, and that hasn’t sat well with Heyward, the longest-tenured Steelers player and an All-Pro defensive lineman.

On his “Not Just Football” podcast released Tuesday, Heyward was asked whether he would accompany Rodgers on a darkness retreat. Rodgers famously took a four-day isolation retreat in 2023 when he was contemplating his future.

“I’m not 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. That’s the pitch. If you want me to recruit, that’s the recruiting pitch. Pittsburgh Steelers. If you want to be part of it, so be it. If you don’t, no skin off my back.”

Heyward was part of the sales pitch in 2024 when the Steelers were trying to sign free agent quarterback Russell Wilson following his release from the Denver Broncos. Wilson signed with the Steelers on the eve of the legal tampering period.

Rodgers, though, has not indicated when he will determine whether he wants play another season at age 41 — or which team he wants to quarterback if he does return following two seasons with the New York Jets.

“I want to play football,” Heyward said. “I’m tired of talking about the quarterback situation. I’d rather have it done. … I’m ready to move on into free agency. There is too much going on. … If you want to be part of the group, be part of the group.”

Clearly agitated, Heyward didn’t want to broach the subject when it was brought up by his co-host.

“We signed a quarterback,” he said. “We’re good.”

While awaiting Rodgers’ decision, the Steelers brought back Mason Rudolph on a two-year, $8 million contract. The Steelers re-signed Rudolph after he spent a season with the Tennessee Titans with the intent of him entering the season as the No. 2 starter.

In his final season with the Steelers, Rudolph led the team on a three-game winning streak that helped them secure the No. 7 wild-card spot. He got the start in the wild-card playoff loss at Buffalo.

Rudolph started five games last season for Tennessee, going 1-4.

“Mason proved to a lot of Steeler fans not just this year, but … when he stepped up for us, that he was ready,” Heyward said. “If we don’t sign a quarterback and go into the year with Mason, we feel good about it. I’m excited to have him back. He’s a guy for the locker room. A lot of guys vibe with him.”