FS1’s Joy Taylor isn’t backing down on her Aaron Rodgers hot take now that he’s officially a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Taylor garnered headlines last week for criticizing Aaron Rodgers, who was still a free agent at the time, for missing Steelers OTAs. While she was well aware that Rodgers wasn’t on Pittsburgh’s roster, the inevitability that he would be made her feel as though the 41-year-old should prove his commitment.
“This is the Pittsburgh Steelers!” Taylor said. “They have six Lombardis. They’re coached by a first-ballot Hall of Fame Mike Tomlin who has never had a losing season, and we’re sitting around talking about Aaron Rodgers is not there on the first day of OTAs. Mandatory or not, where is your pride? Where is your dignity? Where is your respect for the game? Where is your respect for the organization? Where is this organization’s respect for the history that they have in this league? What are we talking about?”
Taylor caught a ton of flak over the commentary, including from former FS1 personality Cris Carter.
The quarterback finally arrived in Pittsburgh on Saturday, passing his physical and signing a one-year, $13.65 million contract with $10 million guaranteed, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
The news had broken earlier in the week that Rodgers would do so, and Taylor had a chance to clarify her thoughts on his responsibility to the team even when he wasn’t officially a part of it. However, she stood firm in her belief that the QB should have been there already.
“OTAs is for sure voluntary, but we would always say it’s voluntary, mandatory,” said former NFL wide receiver TJ Houshmandzadeh. “Your best players, 100% got to be there. If you consider yourself a leader on the team, it don’t matter the position. Quarterback, you’re going to be there regardless. If it’s a receiver, it’s an O-line, whoever, defensive line, your best player has got to be there from day one.”
“How many years did you play in the NFL, TJ?” asked Taylor.
“12,” he added.
Former NBA star Paul Pierce pushed back, saying, “But he’s not signed.”
“You gotta be there,” Houshmandzadeh rebuked. “When you’re a leader of a team, whether you lead vocally or you lead by example, you got to be there.”
“Apparently, if you’re Aaron Rodgers, you don’t cause he wasn’t there,” added Taylor. “While I very much understand he did not work there yet, he could have because they have already had this deal in place. What were they negotiating?”
Houshmandzadeh then said that Rodgers’ late arrival is all the more reason the Steelers have to “start fast” and win early. Otherwise, the criticism will come fast and furious.