From the outside, Aaron Rodgers is a polarizing figure. Some love him, some hate him. Now teammates, Payton Wilson says the media’s view of him is all wrong.
“He has been great since the day he got here,” Wilson said during a Wednesday interview on ESPN Radio with Amber Wilson and Ian Fitzsimmons. “Obviously, when he got here, you see stuff in the media. You don’t know the guy. But the second that you meet him, you realize all that stuff is fake. He’s a great leader, he is a great guy.”
Wilson’s comments echo those of Rodgers’ current and former teammates. Defensive lineman Breiden Fehoko, who spent a handful of weeks with the team this summer, shared some sentiments days ago.
“Before meeting Aaron in Pittsburgh, I was unsure what to expect due to his negative media portrayal,” Fehoko tweeted ahead of Sunday’s kickoff. “I can now say Aaron is one of the most GENUINE dudes I’ve met and a true friend, in or out of football, and I’m grateful for our friendship. He’s a great QB and an even better human being. Wishing him and my former teammates the best this year.”
Contemplating retirement this offseason, one popular media narrative questioned if Rodgers still had the fire and desire to play football. That considering retiring was tantamount to actually stepping away. But Rodgers’ fire was on display during the Steelers’ season opener, celebrating as hard as anyone after Chris Boswell’s field goal and Jalen Ramsey’s game-sealing breakup.
Rodgers was excellent, becoming the first Steelers quarterback to throw four touchdowns in his debut. Every bit of it was needed on a day where the run game was lackluster and the defense underwhelming.
“It was really cool to go against him all camp,” Wilson said. “It was obviously really hard. It definitely made the defense better, and he’s just been a great leader in the building. He’s been great on and off the field, so it’s been great having him around and to be able to compete against him.”
No matter the narrative, results matter most—not just for Rodgers but for the franchise in desperate need of a playoff win that’s been elusive since 2016. Annoying as it is to repeat the stat, it’s a reality Pittsburgh can’t forget in an effort to change its recent history.
