Pittsburgh Steelers fans are at their wits' end awaiting a decision from quarterback Aaron Rodgers. General manager Omar Khan insisted that this choice wouldn't linger on long into the offseason, there is belief that a final call could be made before the 2026 NFL Draft—giving just a few weeks for Rodgers to make up his mind.
But the answer is—and always has been—obvious: the Steelers need to pull the rug out from under and move on.
This should never have been Rodgers' decision to make. At 42 years old during the 2025 season, Rodgers proved unable to get the Steelers over the hump. After going all season long without a 300-yard game (something he hasn't accomplished since December 12, 2021), Rodgers had a humiliating performance in the playoffs.
In the Wild Card round against the Houston Texans, the aging quarterback completed 17 of 33 passes for 146 yards (4.4 yards per attempt) with zero touchdowns and an interception. This wasn't a one-off showing; it's a four-year trend.
Rodgers hasn't averaged more than 6.8 yards per attempt or earned more than a 44.7 QBR since 2021... and there are zero reasons to expect improvement in his age-43 season in 2026. Rodgers also ranked near the bottom of the league in most advanced passing metrics in 2025.
And if the Steelers didn't have enough reason to pull the plug on the Aaron Rodgers waiting game, the veteran quarterback is rumored to be seeking roughly $30 million from the Steelers for his services in the upcoming season.
No thanks. It's time to move on.
The Pittsburgh Steelers must remove Aaron Rodgers as an option for the 2026 season
Some fans have been quick to rush to the defense of Rodgers. If not the four-time MVP at the helm for Pittsburgh in 2026, then who? And admittedly, there isn't a great answer. But that shouldn't stop the Steelers from turning the page.
If Rodgers returns, he will do nothing to push the agenda forward. The Steelers will still need a franchise quarterback in the 2027 offseason. Meanwhile, the only thing Rodgers will do is help a team with modest talent scratch and claw their way to 10 wins—and perhaps another early exit from a playoff berth.
This will just make it harder for the Steelers to move up and land a franchise-caliber QB prospect in the 2027 NFL Draft.
Instead of going with an old quarterback who wants $30 million on a one-year rental in his age-43 season, the Steelers should give second-year QB Will Howard an opportunity to showcase his skills.
If Howard shows promise and proves that he's up to the task, perfect! The Steelers have a quarterback on a dirt-cheap rookie contract they can start to build their roster around. In the likely event that Howard shows that he's just backup, that's fine too. It means that Pittsburgh at least gave it a shot to aim for the future, and is now in a position to take their big quarterback swing in 2027.
We all need to face a harsh reality: the Pittsburgh Steelers will not be Super Bowl contenders in 2026, regardless of whether Aaron Rodgers is on the team. Slamming the door shut on Rodgers is the only move that makes sense at this point.