Things haven't been steady for the Pittsburgh Steelers in recent weeks of their season, but they sit at a 6-4 record and in the middle of a crowded AFC playoff race. It seems likely that they could miss the postseason if they cannot hold onto their division lead in the AFC North. It will be a tough road to finish the schedule, but the fans are hoping that quarterback Aaron Rodgers can fix his woes.
If the Steelers were to move on from Rodgers in the offseason, it wouldn't shock anyone if they target a young prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft, but that talent pool is drying up in a hurry.
According to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, there may be a path for the team to bring back a familiar face. Perhaps a reunion with former quarterback Justin Fields could happen under the right circumstances.
"Anything is possible," Dulac wrote regarding Fields potential return. "Arthur Smith likes him."
While it was a solid start to the season for Pittsburgh and Rodgers, they have struggled behind the aging gunslinger over the past month. The offense has begun to decline rapidly, and many of these problems stem from Rodgers’ struggles with his own psyche. Unless he turns things around for the remainder of the campaign, don't be surprised if the Steelers look for another quarterback in 2026.
Pittsburgh Steelers' insider hints team could reunite with QB Justin Fields this offseason
It was a gamble when the New York Jets signed Fields to a massive two-year contract that paid him $30 million in guaranteed money.
They quickly had buyer's remorse, and they just benched the ex-Steelers signal caller after leading his team to a record of 2-7 as a starter. That is a far cry from his brief success as a quarterback with the Steelers last year, where he produced a 4-2 record in the same role.
"I bet they wish they didn't guarantee Fields $30 million," Dulac suggested. "But, then, that's why they're the Jets, the dysfunctional franchise of the NFL."
The future for Fields is up in the air after his recent benching in New York.
He lost his starting job in Pittsburgh last year and jumped over to the Jets for lots of money and a shot at being a long-term starter. He got his money, but he failed to hang onto his spot. All signs point to him being one and done in New York, which means the Jets could be paying $57 million in dead money to Rodgers and Fields this offseason if they release their quarterback.
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A lot would need to transpire for the Steelers to consider adding Fields back onto their team. There appears to be some underlying problems that caused the breakup between the former starter and led Mike Tomlin to go in a different direction.
Some within the organization wanted Fields to return, but Tomlin makes the final calls, and that led to Rodgers joining the team, which turned out to be the right move.
Rodgers would need to leave the Steelers one way or another in the offseason. Pittsburgh would need a cheap option to compete with Mason Rudolph and Will Howard for the starting job next year. That would mean they failed to address the position in the draft, which is unlikely. While it may not be the most realistic path for Pittsburgh, it isn’t entirely impossible, as Dulac noted.