Perhaps recognizing that Aaron Rodgers is the only other player on the Pittsburgh Steelers roster born in the 1980s, Cameron Heyward takes every opportunity to attack Rodgers because of his age.
“He’s old,” Heyward, 36, said of Rodgers on Wednesday.
Moments later, Heyward let out a zinger, “That’s a big Nickelback guy,” citing one of the rock bands associated with the decade of the 2000s — a decade in which many of their current bandmates were born.
Just weeks shy of his 42nd birthday, Rodgers didn’t let Heyward get away with his age either.
“I like to shave it,” Rodgers said this week, “from time to time.”
Rodgers and Heyward are an odd couple — Heyward, a 15-year veteran defensive tackle who grew up in Georgia and went to college at Ohio State; Rodgers, a California native who went to Cal-Berkeley and spent 18 seasons in the NFL as a quarterback in Green Bay.
But the duo has come together to form a true leadership team for the Steelers.
“He’s been bought since he got here,” Heyward said of Rodgers. “We joke around off the field, but we challenge each other and try to make sure (we’re doing what’s best for) the team, and we have the right pulse of the team. It’s just about communicating and making sure we can move forward.”
Rodgers is captain of a third different franchise in a four-year span. He has been captain for 15 seasons. Heyward was the Steelers defensive captain for 11 consecutive seasons.
No player on the Steelers roster is older than Rodgers or Heyward, and none can match their years of experience in the NFL or in an official captaincy.
“I really appreciate his leadership,” Rodgers said. “He’s a guy who knows how to use his voice at the right time, and his play has been exceptional. He’s made some plays where he’s hustling the back of balls in the flat that are really impressive. He’s pushed the pocket up the middle. He’s got his hands on a lot of balls that have been key, plays that have been kind of game-changing for us. He’s a steady guy.
“I’m really lucky to play with Cam Heyward.”
In March, Heyward complained on his podcast about Rodgers not committing to play for the Steelers at that time, saying, “You either want to be a Pittsburgh Steeler or you don’t. It’s that simple.”
Heyward later gave up on that feeling, and by the time Rodgers signed with the Steelers in June, the two had begun to bond. This week, Heyward pointed out that Rodgers’ reputation (in the eyes of some) was “misinterpreted.”
Midway through this season – a season that looks promising for the Steelers, who sit at 5-3 – the two veterans have developed a relationship in which each feels comfortable coming to the other with ideas to help the team.
“It’s just a testament to who he is as a person,” Heyward said of Rodgers. “I’ve enjoyed knowing him. We joke and joke, but we love playing these kinds of games. We enjoy the challenge week in and week out. I think we’re all trying to achieve one goal, but the main goal is just to go 1-0 this week.”
Chris Adamski is a TribLive reporter who has primarily covered the Pittsburgh Steelers since 2014 after two seasons on the Penn State football beat. A native of western Pennsylvania, he joined the Trib in 2012 after spending a decade covering Pittsburgh sports for other media outlets. He can be contacted at cadamski@triblive.com.
