There’s some skepticism among Pittsburgh Steelers fans when it comes to Aaron Rodgers. While he’ll make the Pro Football Hall of Fame one day, he’s not that same player anymore. Age and injuries have robbed him of much of his athleticism. Also, his personality has rubbed people the wrong way before. There’s some hope that won’t be an issue with the Steelers because of their stability and leadership in the locker room. However, Dave Dameshek recently pushed back on that narrative.
“Who are the leaders?” Dameshek asked recently on The Shek Show podcast. “‘In Pittsburgh, he doesn’t have to lead.’ What leadership are we talking about that exists in Pittsburgh before Aaron Rodgers arrives? The defensive leaders? I like Cam Heyward and T.J. Watt. I think they’re both going to the Hall of Fame. The defense fell apart last December. Did everybody forget that?
“Does everybody have amnesia about that? They were arguing about whose gap it was. It was mid-December, and they were arguing, you can get screen grabs from pro football games of NFL defenders in Black and Gold pointing at each other like, ‘No, no, no, no, that was you. No, you were supposed to be there.’ Arguing in the microphones after games. This is the leadership group that you’re walking into.”
It’s true that toward the end of last season the Steelers’ mighty defense collapsed, plagued by miscommunication and missed tackles. It didn’t seem like anyone had an answer for why they were playing poorly, too. Many players weren’t afraid to let their frustrations be known as well.
That situation was a mess, but Mike Tomlin wasn’t concerned about players arguing. He believed it was a good thing, appreciating that they were trying to fix the issues. Therefore, it might not be fair to use that scenario to disparage the Steelers’ leadership.
Players like Heyward and Watt have received compliments on their abilities as leaders. However, that might leave the Steelers’ offense without great leadership. This offseason, Najee Harris talked about how that was a major component Pittsburgh was lacking during his time there.
However, Rodgers has stated that he wants to be a leader in Pittsburgh. That’s not something he’s running from. He’s a Super Bowl champion and one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history. The Steelers should want him to be a leader.
Also, while Pittsburgh’s offense is still fairly young, it seems like some players are stepping up. Zach Frazier is reportedly taking more of a leadership role in his second year in the NFL. DK Metcalf brings a lot of experience to the Steelers, too.
It’s fair to criticize the Steelers’ shortcomings in recent years. On offense, they’ve largely felt directionless. However, they’ve made strides to change that. Arthur Smith is a former head coach, and he had success in his first year as the Steelers’ offensive coordinator. Also, leadership is one of Mike Tomlin’s biggest strengths. The Steelers had leadership before Rodgers. His experience should help add to that, though.
