The Pittsburgh Steelers signed Aaron Rodgers last offseason in yet another patchwork solution at the most important position in sports. The Steelers have truly botched the quarterback room ever since long-time great Ben Roethlisberger departed in retirement.
Pittsburgh will continue to be this middle-tier team until they find and develops a legitimate franchise quarterback, and over the past two NFL Drafts, Pittsburgh has drafted two players of note in Will Howard and Drew Allar. Both Howard and Allar are big-bodied, prototypical NFL quarterbacks.
However, it could be a stretch that either develops into a starting-caliber passer. Well, earlier this week, news broke that Rodgers would be returning to the Steelers on a one-year deal. If nothing else, the Steelers should have another 10 wins in their back pocket, but that might not be enough for an AFC North title in 2026. Furthermore, Rodgers made quite the announcement on Wednesday, proving that there is a ton at stake for the team in 2026.
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers says the 2026 season will be his last
During a media session on Wednesday, the four-time NFL MVP announced that the 2026 season would be his last in the NFL:
One last ride for @aaronrodgers12 🫡 pic.twitter.com/Thby6p4sXQ
— NFL (@NFL) May 20, 2026
This may not be a huge shock, but Rodgers himself said on Wednesday that the 2026 season would be his last in the NFL. The future Hall of Famer is absolutely, at worst, a top-7 quarterback all-time. Yes, we have seen Rodgers declining in recent years, but that has happened with almost every single player in their final years in the league. Rodgers isn't a special circumstance.
He won the MVP award with the Green Bay Packers in the 2020 and 2021 seasons, but in every year following that, this is what the quarterback has produced:
24-27 record
64.3 percent completion
10,914 yards
78 touchdowns
30 interceptions
92 passer rating
This production came in three full seasons, as he tore his Achilles in Week 1 of the 2023 NFL Season. In Rodgers' two MVP seasons in 2020 and 2021, he was able to do this:
26-6 record
69.8 percent completion
8,414 yards
85 touchdowns
9 interceptions
116.7 passer rating
I mean, these are two different players. Given how the past few seasons have gone for Rodgers, there is reason to believe another one of those 20-something touchdown, 90-something passer rating seasons is coming in 2026.
And while that could help Pittsburgh finish with another winning record, Rodgers coming back also proves what's at stake. With two young quarterbacks in the room, and, effectively, a 'bridge' quarterback in Rodgers, the Steelers have a bit of an unexpected, but potentially ideal opportunity to develop a young passer for the future.
Both Howard and Allar have various tools and traits that could make either one a future starter. And while Pittsburgh has botched the room in recent years, they do currently have a set-up that could lead to long-term stability.
A year for Howard and Allar playing behind Rodgers is one of the more cookie-cutter ways that we have seen quarterbacks develop. One of the more notable examples is Patrick Mahomes, who sat nearly his entire rookie season and played behind Alex Smith.
It's not impossible that this could be a similar situation for the Steelers. Sure, this 2026 season is going to be about trying to win a ton of games and getting the most out of Rodgers' final season, but there is now, suddenly, a ton at stake.
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