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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
Aaron Rodgers is a Pittsburgh Steeler for 2026 after he announced he would be coming back, and he's gotten straight to work in Mike McCarthy's offense.
With the Steelers beginning OTAs, Rodgers hit the field as he begins the long road towards Week 1.
The Steelers made several good additions for McCarthy this offseason while they awaited Rodgers' decision, and one was signing Michael Pittman Jr. from the Indianapolis Colts.
And it's fair to say that Michael is a fan of having No. 8 as his quarterback.
"Even in the first day, he made a couple of great throws, and I was like, wow, I'm really playing with Aaron, so it's great," Pittman said via the team's official website. "I get to play with another Hall of Fame quarterback, because I got to play with Philip Rivers. I'm going to say he's going to make it. This is my second, so it's great."
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Rodgers expected to push for playoffs?
Well, Pittsburgh wouldn't have given the green light to allow Rodgers to come back if it didn't think it was the best course of action, right?
But with the Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals expected to be far better than they were in 2025, the Steelers will have a tough time making the postseason. That's not to say they can't, because Rodgers does have some nice weapons.
However, there is a clear ceiling with No. 8 at the helm of this Steelers team, and most think it is eight or nine wins, which likely wouldn't be enough for a playoff spot.
But the NFL is an unpredictable beast, and who knows, maybe in McCarthy's first year, Rodgers can lead Pittsburgh back to the playoffs.
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