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Jan 12, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) audibles during the second half of an AFC Wild Card Round game against the Houston Texans at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
The Pittsburgh Steelers' waiting on Aaron Rodgers to make a decision to me was a little odd, given it was the ideal time for the franchise to stop with the mediocrity and actually make a change in a significant way for the future.
Instead, they've run it back with Rodgers, who, while still possessing some good moments, gives the Steelers a clear ceiling in 2026 -- being good, but not good enough.
Now, with Will Howard, Mason Rudolphi, and Drew Allar on the roster, none of those give the Steelers a better chance to win now than Rodgers.
Still, the franchise's decision to wait on an aging quarterback is one that baffles me, and also ESPN's Bill Barnwell.
“At 42, the chances are far more likely that Rodgers is worse in 2026 than of any sort of dramatic improvement,” Barnwell wrote. “It would be one thing if the Steelers were waiting on peak Rodgers to return, but the entire organization was left on hold as a below-average starter spent months deciding whether he wanted to continue playing."
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Can Rodgers wind back the clock?
Last season, we saw Rodgers still make some of the throws that made him a four-time MVP, but the lack of movement in the pocket meant that at times, he was a sitting duck.
For years, his elusiveness was a big part of his arsenal; it isn't now, and being another year older, what can we expect Rodgers to be? A pure pocket passer? Sure.
But in Mike McCarthy's offense, he might have the best chance at playing better than he did a year ago, especially if the run game takes hold.
Of course, this is all a projection, and we are in May, so there will be no definitive statements made about Rodgers yet.
Although the decision to wait so long for him was a head-scratcher.
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