In previous weeks, there have been whispers that the Pittsburgh Steelers would like to have Aaron Rodgers return for one more season in 2026. If those conversations occurred between head coach Mike Tomlin and general manager Omar Khan, it looks like they jumped the gun.
In Week 10 against the LA Chargers on Sunday Night Football, Rodgers played one of the worst games of his NFL career. Before padding his stats with a 65-yard touchdown drive with under five minutes remaining, down 25-3, Rodgers had completed 10 of 23 passes for 96 yards with zero touchdowns and two interceptions for a measly 19.4 passer rating.
Even after getting his yardage up to 161 and pitching in a meaningless touchdown with under two minutes remaining, Rodgers finished the game with a 50.6 passer rating and a dismal 4.6 QBR—one of the worst marks of his career.
Unfortunately, this isn't just a one-off performance that we can brush away.
In each of his past four games, Rodgers has gotten progressively worse. In a month's worth of consecutive contests, the aging quarterback has seen his passing yards, yards per attempt, and passer rating dip drastically in each performance, to the point where he finally hit rock bottom in Week 10.
Rodgers is just weeks away from his 42nd birthday, and by now, his future with the Steelers should be crystal clear.
The Pittsburgh Steelers should not ask Aaron Rodgers to come back in 2026
I know there's a lot of season left for Rodgers to turn things around, and perhaps he will. It wouldn't be shocking at all if Rodgers bounced back in Week 11 to beat up the Cincinnati Bengals (who have the league's worst defense, allowing 426.6 yards per game).
But even if Rodgers showcases some respectable performances down the stretch, the Steelers need to face reality: things aren't going to get any better with the NFL's oldest quarterback next season.
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If Rodgers starts for an NFL team in 2026, he will join a short list of quarterbacks to ever do so. This includes Tom Brady, Vinny Testaverde, Doug Flutie, Warren Moon, and Earl Morrall. While Brady is the golden example of ageless success, the rest of the quarterbacks on this list were beyond washed up at age 42.
Sadly, Rodgers is rapidly approaching that 'washed-up' category, if he's not there already.
Rodgers is clearly a shell of his former MVP self, and all of his mobility has gone by the wayside. If he's not willing to hang in the pocket and take hits while delivering the football, he's not going to have success moving forward. Rodgers simply can't extend the play at this stage of his career.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have now lost three of their last four games, and at 5-4, Mike Tomlin's team is in trouble. At this point, the Steelers have an uphill battle just to sneak into the playoffs. And with the offense struggling, there's no reason to even consider bringing back Aaron Rodgers in 2026 after watching him play the worst football of his career.