Quarterback Aaron Rodgers has held the reputation of being difficult with the media and even teammates throughout his career. But through almost three months with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Rodgers has fit in well and not caused any drama with reporters.
However, that doesn’t mean he’s made up with former Steelers safety and ESPN analyst Ryan Clark.
The Super Bowl champion defensive back shared during Meadowlark’s Football America! podcast Friday that he and Rodgers haven’t spoken since the quarterback signed with the Steelers.
Clark said he requested to interview the quarterback for his own podcast, The Pivot. But Rodgers declined the interview.
“I have nothing against dude, he’s fine. I was like, ‘Man, I would love to sit with him.’ I’m apart of the history there. He’s the quarterback with our team now. I actually don’t dislike him. I want to sit with him. Welcome him to Steeler nation, and just kind of have a conversation. I didn’t want to have a conversation about that; I wanted to talk about his career. I have said over and over again, he’s the best quarterback I ever played against,” said Clark, via PennLive.com’s Nick Farabaugh.
Clark added that then during his visit to Steelers practice this summer, the quarterback didn’t speak to him.
Ryan Clark Says Steelers’ Aaron Rodgers Ignored Him During Visit
Clark didn’t directly address the new Pittsburgh quarterback. But the former safety shared that he said hello to Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith and Rodgers at the same time.
According to Clark, Rodgers didn’t respond.
“When we were pulling up to campus, he was talking to Arthur Smith when we were going up the hill. For me, if I truly don’t have an issue with you, I’m going to speak to you. I’m going to say hello. It’s rude not to, in my opinion,” said Clark.
“So he was talking to Arthur Smith. I talked to some of the guys I see coming from the special teams meeting. I roll the window down and I say, ‘What’s up guys.’ Arthur Smith kind of speaks. Aaron Rodgers looks at me and he doesn’t say anything.”
Interestingly, Clark made clear that he respected Rodgers’ decision not to speak with him.
“I respected it because he was like, ‘I’m not gonna be fake.’ For whatever he feels or whatever it is, he’s like that is not someone that I fool with in that way and I’m not going to fake it. And I think it set the tone that you and I don’t talk. When I was on the field, I didn’t say anything to him. He didn’t say anything to me,” added Clark.
The Beef Between Rodgers & Clark
Any potential issues between the quarterback and analyst appear to stem from a December 2024 appearance Rodgers made on ESPN’s The Pat McAfee Show. On the show, Rodgers was highly critical of former NFL players turned analysts.
“I’m talking about these experts on TV who nobody remembers what they did in their career,” Rodgers said, via USA Today’s Jacob Camenker. “So in order for them to stay relevant, they have to make comments that keep them in the conversation. That wasn’t going on in 2008, 2009, that was nonexistent.”
The quarterback didn’t mention Clark, but the former Steelers safety clearly had an issue with Rodgers’ comment.
“I find it extremely funny that he’s saying this on a show with a man, who as great as he was as a punter, is far more famous as a pundit in Pat McAfee,” Clark responded. “A.J. Hawk, who I felt like was a good player, is now on TV, and he gets to give his thoughts as well.”
It only grew uglier from there, with Rodgers asking Clark about his vaccine status in one of his later responses to the ESPN analyst.
Things between Rodgers and Clark probably didn’t get any better over the offseason when Clark was adamant on ESPN the Steelers shouldn’t sign Rodgers in NFL free agency.
Clark played 13 years in the NFL, eight of which he spent with the Steelers. He made the 2011 Pro Bowl and started 14 games in 2008 when the Steelers were ranked No. 1 in multiple defensive categories and won the Super Bowl.
Clark started 109 games for the Steelers. In 177 contests across his entire career, he registered 938 tackles, 16 interceptions and four sacks.
