I had assumed Aaron Rodgers was pretty much done when the 2026 season kicked off, and honestly, his initial performances didn’t really change that viewpoint for me.
In my observations after Week 2, I even went as far as to label him “an old quarterback whose career probably should have wrapped up three years ago.”
Well, it seems that evaluation might need a bit of reconsideration.
Rodgers, at 42 years old, threw three touchdown passes on Sunday while leading the Pittsburgh Steelers to a 34-22 victory over the Indianapolis Colts, bringing their record to 3-2. He racked up 235 passing yards and has now tossed three touchdowns in three straight games.
To put that into perspective, within that same timeframe, he’s amassed 826 passing yards and a total of nine touchdown passes. That’s actually quite impressive, especially for a quarterback who many believe is nearing the end of his NFL journey.
In contrast, in the first two games of the season, he had more turnovers (two) than touchdown passes (one).
Though he’s still averaging one turnover each game—having thrown three interceptions over the last three matches—he managed to hold onto the ball on Sunday, which shows he’s still got some skills left in that right arm of his.
Aaron Rodgers gives the Steelers a reason to believe
What’s really encouraging for the Steelers is that each week, Rodgers is providing the offense with something to build upon.
Sure, their initial drive on Sunday lost 15 yards before they had to punt, but Rodgers quickly bounced back. On the next possession, he delivered a pass to Jaylen Warren just before taking a hit, and Warren turned that short throw into an 80-yard touchdown.
Rodgers hit his first 11 passes and didn’t have an incompletion until the middle of the second quarter. Of course, Warren’s performance was a huge part of making Rodgers look good—he ended the day with 188 total yards and added a 50-yard touchdown run to his long receiving score.
Still, Rodgers stepped up just when the Steelers needed to separate themselves from the Colts. Holding onto a slight 24-22 lead in the fourth quarter, he connected with Pat Freiermuth for a 17-yard touchdown on a crucial third-and-6. This marked Freiermuth’s second touchdown of the game, effectively sealing the win.
Rodgers keeps climbing the NFL record books
There were also some notable milestones achieved during the game.
The touchdown pass to Warren helped Rodgers surpass Peyton Manning for third place in career touchdown passes, including postseason stats. Only Tom Brady and Drew Brees now stand in front of him.
This win also gave Rodgers 166 regular-season victories as a starting quarterback, placing him ahead of Ben Roethlisberger for fifth all-time. It’s certainly a nice touch to pass a Steelers legend while wearing the Steelers’ colors.
While his career achievements are undoubtedly impressive, fans are far more interested in seeing whether Rodgers can maintain this level of play.
The Steelers need an offense that can capitalize on defensive stops, complete drives with touchdowns, and produce big plays during crucial moments. On Sunday, that’s exactly what Rodgers and Warren provided against the Colts.
There’s still a lot of football ahead, and three solid games won’t answer every question surrounding this team. The AFC North is tough, with all four teams boasting three wins already.
Looking ahead, the Steelers have a chance to keep the momentum going. They’re scheduled to play at Tampa Bay next week and will then face New Orleans in Paris. Both teams have had rough starts, combining for just two wins.
Following that, a couple of important division matchups await against the Browns and Bengals, with a bye week in between. It’ll be interesting to see if Rodgers can maintain this high level of performance as the season progresses.
But after watching him throw nine touchdowns in three games…? Maybe I was too quick to write Rodgers off.
