Former Griz Dylan Cook Talks Aaron Rodgers, TJ Watt and the NFL

Meet the Griz is a series that tells the stories of Montana Grizzlies athletes, coaches, and contributors. Here are some past "Meet the Griz" features:

Meet the Griz: Soccer's New Leader Stuart Gore

Meet the Griz: Keali'i Ah Yat Explains His Griz Return

Meet the Griz: The Record Breaker You Don't Know About

Meet the Griz: Pittsburgh Steeler Dylan Cook

It's been a minute since we've put out a new "Meet the Griz" feature, but who better to restart the series with NFL offensive lineman Dylan Cook?

The Butte native is coming off a season in which he made his NFL debut for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

"I was finally able to get my feet wet and get on the field and play some football," Cook said of the 2025 season. "I definitely know now that I can compete at this level, so you know, hopefully it's only up from here."

Step one: Make your NFL debut.

Step two: Start.

"It'd be awesome to be the starter, but if not, I just want to be able to help with the team win any way I can. Whether that's giving TJ [Watt] good looks in practice or possibly filling in if someone does go down on an injury, I just want to do whatever I can to help this team win its next Super Bowl."

Speaking of elite pass rushers, Cook had to go up against two of the best in last season's AFC Wildcard game: Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson.

Cook said it was a learning moment.

"You take away that, you know, you just went up against the best of the best. There were some wins for me, and there were some losses for me. I learned from the losses more than the wins."

Cook has been putting in the work this offseason, getting better by reviewing the film and pinpointing what he can work on to protect his quarterback, Aaron Rodgers.

"Off the field, he's an awesome guy," Cook said of Rodgers. "He loves to hang out with the O-line, drink a beer with us here and there. He's a great guy."

We started talking about Rodgers' fiery demeanor, something fans and media often focus on. He's been seen yelling at himself, coaches, teammates, or refs on the field, like the jacked-up competitor he is.

Has Cook felt the "wrath of Rodgers"?

"No, usually most of his blow-ups, like the mistake has to be major or he's yelling at himself. He's a big self-talk guy. If he's really mad, it's a 50-50 shot he's just yelling at himself."

Listen to our full conversation with Dylan Cook