A profanity-laced exchange between Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and head coach Mike McCarthy caught most of the attention, but it wasn’t the only time things got animated for the team during last Thursday’s loss to the Browns.
Linebacker T.J. Watt was filmed having a lively conversation with defensive coordinator Patrick Graham over a headset at one point and defensive lineman Cam Heyward was seen doing the same with teammates on the sideline after a Browns touchdown. Heyward said on Wednesday that “there was a lot bothering me in that game” and that team leaders “shouldn’t apologize” for wearing their hearts on their sleeves during games.
“We’ve always had emotion,” Heyward said, via Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “I don’t think that’s anything to shy away from. I’ve always been someone who tends to get a little feisty on the sideline. I’m not going to apologize for that. That’s part of the game. We hold ourselves to a high standard. We expect a lot out of our group. When we don’t, we’re pissed off because of it.”
If the “hard conversations” Heyward was talking about result in wins, the outbursts will likely be viewed as part of the process of getting the team on the same page. If not, they’ll be a sign of dysfunction that threw the club off track in McCarthy’s first season on the sideline.