Stephen A. Smith once called Aaron Rodgers a “baaaaaad man” for his unreal performance against Vikings

Stephen A. Smith has always been a big believer in Aaron Rodgers, even during his struggling years.

Stephen A. Smith once called Aaron Rodgers a “baaaaaad man” for his unreal performance against Vikings

Aaron Rodgers and Stephen A. Smith (Image via IMAGO)

Being in the twilight of his career, Aaron Rodgers should jump at the chance to play for a team. However, the 41-year-old remains a free agent despite verbally agreeing to sign for them after a rough two-year stay with the New York Jets.

The Steelers remain hopeful, even though there’s no guarantee that Rodgers will even show up. It’s nearly the end of May, and every team is busy completing the first phase of the OTAs, and Rodgers’ absence has raised questions and criticism at the same time.

However, there was a time when Rodgers was very liked by fans and analysts alike. Take, for example, Stephen A. Smith, who called Rodgers ‘Bad Man’ after an explosive performance against the Minnesota Vikings in week one of the 2020 season.

Smith highlighted Rodgers’ clever utilization of the Vikings’ Achilles’ heel during the game.

“Well, they [Packers and Aaron Rodgers] didn’t prove much because they were going against a rookie cornerback and [Cameron] Dantzler… I believe that’s his name… The fact is you’re in Minnesota. You’re relying on rookie corners, and Aaron Rodgers exploited them. No question about it, but it doesn’t take away from the fact he’s a bad man,” Stephen A. Smith said on First Take in 2020.

In that game, Aaron Rodgers threw for 364 yards on 32 completions with a passer rating of 127.5 and four touchdowns. He led the Packers to a 13-3 finish while leading the league in several categories, including pass completion (70.7), touchdowns (48), passing touchdown percentage (9.1%), and a 121.5 passer rating.

The NFL awarded Rodgers (then 37) his third league MVP award.

Insider speculates whether Steelers players are frustrated with Aaron Rodgers’ absence from OTA

Sooner or later, Rodgers must commit to a team and show up for training. He is infamous for avoiding the off-season camp, but there’s a difference between the 2025 holdout and his Jets holdout. He was already part of the Jets by the time the OTAs started.

Stephen A. Smith once called Aaron Rodgers a "baaaaaad man" for his unreal performance against Vikings
Aaron Rodgers won four league MVPs while playing for the Green Bay Packers (Image via IMAGO)

During his routine appearance on 93.7 The Fan Morning Show, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Ray Fittipaldo speculated that the Steelers players may be silent on Rodgers’ absence, but they are frustrated behind the curtains.

“I got the sense that they’re kind of sick of not talking about it because yesterday was the first time they talked about it, but they’re just kind of sick of this being the storyline about this football team for more than two months now,” Ray Fittipaldo said via Steelers Nation.

While former Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is optimistic about Rodgers representing the team in 2025, another ex-QB doesn’t want to see Rodgers anywhere near the Pittsburgh facility.

Hall of Famer Terry Bradshaw, who lifted four Lombardi Trophies with the Steelers, recently blasted Rodgers for ghosting his former team.

“That’s a joke. That is just to me is a joke. What are you gonna do? Bring him in for one year? Are you kidding me?… That guy needs to stay in California. Go somewhere and chew on bark and whisper to the gods out there,” Terry Bradshaw said.

If Rodgers’ latest comments are any sign, the Steelers fans might not have to wait longer for an answer. He is currently dealing with an off-field issue and will be back to football after resolving it.

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