With the Pittsburgh Steelers officially bringing back Aaron Rodgers, the team now feels like a mostly complete unit. We know the general makeup of this team and what it should look like in 2026.
However for rookie receiver Germie Bernard, this news couldn’t get much worse.
The second-round pick has relatively high expectations. While he wasn’t expected to be the vocal point of the offense, he was the lead candidate to be the third receiver for this team, and he was expected to see a lot of work out of the slot.
Though his workload may stay consistent, his production could take a hit. All of this because the Steelers opted to bring back Rodgers for one more season.
Aaron Rodgers derails Germie Bernard's chances as a rookie with the Pittsburgh Steelers
It is well known that Rodgers typically dislikes rookie receivers. Usually, he wants his timing and tendencies to be in sync with his receivers. Rookies have, at times, struggled to make that connection out of the gate.
For Bernard, this sets him back already, and it isn’t his fault. He needs to go out and earn Rodgers' trust early. If he doesn’t, he may become an afterthought in this offense.
We saw Roman Wilson have similar struggles just a year ago. It felt like he and Rodgers never got on the same page, and it eventually led to his benching.
The Steelers will have a lot of receiving threats this year. They added Michael Pitman to complement this offense and figure to get Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington more heavily involved.
Bernard should still have a role in this offense, but until he earns Rodgers' trust, he may be an unproductive option in the passing game.
Had one of the younger quarterback options been given the green light, this would have been a different story. Bernard feels like a steady safety valve that could have been relied on. Now, he feels like he could become an afterthought for Rodgers.
Could Bernard defy the odds? Absolutely. But the chances of him having an impact rookie season just took a big hit. The Pittsburgh Steelers' second-round pick certainly has work to do with Rodgers before you can count on him being more than just a depth receiver in 2026.
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