Aaron Rodgers Returns to the Steelers
Aaron Rodgers is officially back with the Pittsburgh Steelers. It’s been a long few months of speculation about his future, but it turns out all it took was a hint that the Steelers were getting impatient with his indecisiveness. He signed a one-year deal, which confirms his commitment to play in 2026. The details of the contract are certainly intriguing.
This should mean less chaos regarding Rodgers, at least for the next season. It gives the Steelers some clarity at the quarterback position, particularly as they may need to rely on Mason Rudolph, Will Howard, or rookie Drew Arra. It almost feels like the season could end before it even starts. Now the focus shifts to what the limits are for this team with Rodgers in charge. But, is it possible this could be a mistake?
The question of whether this move is wise is reflected in some undeniable truths. Every NFL team eventually faces a rebuilding phase. Since Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement in 2021, the Steelers have seen a decline. Sure, they’ve been competitive, but their quarterback situation has been, well, pretty limited. Whether it’s been Kenny Pickett or Russell Wilson, the team has made the playoffs, but that success rarely stretches beyond the early rounds. In fact, in their last five playoff seasons, they’ve been eliminated at the Wild Card stage, and you’d have to look back to 2017 for their last victory in the first round.
With Michael Pittman Jr. joining the team, it’s pretty clear that this might be the best receiving corps the Steelers have had in years. With Jalen Warren and Rico Doodle, they seem to have a solid running back tandem. The question remains: is this new look Steelers team undeniably better now that Rodgers is back, and how high can they soar?
Steelers Playoff Hopes
After all the back and forth, the Steelers have managed to secure a quarterback for the 2026 season.
Rodgers finalized his one-year contract with the Steelers over the weekend, effectively putting an end to the speculation surrounding him. He has already returned to training, having been seen at the facility as the team kicked off OTAs this Monday.
Yet, one has to wonder how much impact Rodgers can truly have for the Steelers at this point in his career. Based on last season, it’s hard to be optimistic.
Rodgers might be the best option the Steelers have at such a crucial position, but that’s relative, isn’t it? They were also looking at backup Mason Rudolph, rookie Drew Aller, and Will Howard. So, in that context, sure, Rodgers seems like the best choice.
However, he might not be the revival the team hopes for. Last season, he was ranked 18th among qualifying quarterbacks in the NFL, with an adjusted net yardage of 6.3 per attempt and a QBR of 44.4. Looking at efficiency metrics shows he wasn’t lighting the world on fire, either.
Rodgers, honestly, played at a league-average level last year.
The pressing question is how much a quarterback who is now older than the league average can help the Steelers. In a crowded AFC landscape, coupled with a challenging AFC North, especially with strong competition from the Ravens and Bengals, it’s hard to see how much better they can really get.
One potential bright spot is that their non-conference games will pair AFC North teams with those from the NFC South, which may help boost their record. Still, the highlight of their calendar looks to be the post-bye week stretch, where they face Cincinnati, Philadelphia, a short week against Denver, Houston, Jacksonville, and Baltimore. These six games are likely to be pivotal for their season. As it stands, they might aim for a 10-7 record, which could see them squeeze into the playoffs, only to bow out after the Wild Card round.
Previous Steelers Performance
Last season, the Steelers missed the playoffs, finishing with 8 wins and 9 losses, landing in 3rd place in the AFC North.
Revisiting that infamous quote about insanity, which suggests repeatedly doing the same thing expecting different results, certainly applies here. There’s no denying that Rodgers is showing signs of regression. While a declining Rodgers may still be preferable to other options in Pittsburgh, it doesn’t necessarily guarantee high performance.
The significant issue in their passing game is that Rodgers seems to have lost the ability to make consistent deep throws. Admittedly, he never possessed a particularly high average depth of target, but it was a dangerous aspect of his play. Remember his glory days in Green Bay? The threat of Davante Adams opened things up for the secondary receivers on deeper routes. That’s why the big DK Metcalf trade was exciting last year, but it didn’t pay off. Mainly, because Rodgers struggles to connect on deep passes anymore, giving defenses the advantage.
It seems like Pittman will be a focal point in the Steelers’ passing attack this season, and we might see Metcalf eclipse 1,000 receiving yards again. But will that translate into a significantly improved Steelers squad? It’s hard to say. There may be fewer looks for running backs and tight ends, shifting the resources, but that’s not likely to create more explosive plays. That’s the real concern for Pittsburgh at the moment.
For rookie coaches in the NFL, it’s all about those big plays. Insights show that teams that generate larger plays tend to come out on top. It seems that the focus has shifted from turnovers to explosive plays, and coaches like Sean McVay and others have emphasized their importance. The Steelers—while effective at preventing big plays—struggle to create them, especially with Rodgers under center.
The NFC North is unpredictable, especially with three of its teams, including a Zac Taylor-led team that’s yet to find its footing. Anyone could take the division, but it’s hard to envision the Steelers going far in the playoffs. It might have been wiser for them to take their lumps this year and seek their future quarterback in the 2027 NFL Draft.
Instead, they appear to be limping into a season that might have been a platform for growth over the next decade.
