Steelers star addresses blunt comments toward Aaron Rodgers: ‘I don’t think I really called him out'

Pittsburgh Steelers star defensive lineman Cam Heyward caused a firestorm last week when it was perceived that he was calling out Aaron Rodgers, who the Steelers continue to pursue at quarterback. Yet, Heyward now wants to clarify those comments, which he said on his podcast.

“I ain’t doing that darkness retreat. I don’t need any of that crap. Either you want to be a Pittsburgh Steeler or you don’t. That’s 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 said.

On The Rich Eisen Show, Heyward clarified that he was simply stating he would not go on a darkness retreat to recruit Rodgers. On top of that, Heyward outlined the simple pitch of being the Steelers organization and their history. It sells itself.

“Everybody gave me crap. They said I called him out,’ Heyward said. “I don’t think I really called him out. I just said I wasn’t going on a darkness retreat to recruit him. But if he wants to be a Steeler, he can be a Steeler. That’s the pitch. rI don’t know why everybody thought, ‘Oh Cam’s really going at him.’ Some fans felt, ‘Oh yeah, keep doing that,’ and the other fans felt like, Oh man, you’re really gonna scare him off.’ I’m not scaring anybody off. I just wanna win games and play good football.”

Rodgers visited the Steelers facility on Friday and kept an open line of communication with the team going throughout the week. That has led to their belief the situation will be resolved sooner rather than later.

Rodgers remains in no rush to decide, however. The Steelers have not pushed back on that, though, and any idea the team would give him major flak for taking time to decide has little credence.

The New York Giants remain in pursuit of Rodgers, too, even after signing Jameis Winston. So, the Steelers are not the only players in the race for Rodgers, but they feel like the team in the lead as it stands.

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