It didn’t catch Pittsburgh Steelers fans by surprise when Aaron Rodgers initially said that his first season with the black and gold would likely be his last in the NFL. At 41 years old with a Hall of Fame resume in hand, it made sense for Rodgers to load up for one final run.
It fits well with the Steelers' apparent plans, too. The 2026 NFL Draft will be held in Pittsburgh, the quarterback class is already being hyped as one of the best of the decade, and Omar Khan has hoarded picks for that class to maneuver into position to land the next franchise quarterback.
But, of course, the best laid plans often falter to reality’s will. Who’s to say this Rodgers experiment doesn’t go incredibly well, but that it falls just short of greatness? What then? Does Rodgers really ride off into the sunset if he and the Steelers come close to those championship aspirations?
Aaron Rodgers' comment that will keep Pittsburgh Steelers fans guessing all season long
Rodgers and his top wideout, DK Metcalf, joined defensive lineman Cam Heyward on his podcast Not Just Football. During the show, Metcalf forced Rodgers' hand when discussing the team’s chemistry when he said, “Maybe we can run it back.” Rodgers responded, “Maybe.”
That one-word answer opens the floodgates for conversations that will take place throughout the winter, regardless of how Pittsburgh’s season ends. If injury prevents the team from reaching its goals, maybe Rogers comes back. If the Steelers lose as time expires in the AFC Championship, maybe Rodgers comes back. If the Steelers win it all, maybe Rodgers comes back.
Most analysts outside of Pittsburgh, and plenty within, don’t expect Rodgers and the new cast of veterans in town to be enough to lift the team out of its mediocre standard and win more than one playoff game, if they even have the team getting that far. But nothing is certain, just as Rodgers’ answer affirms.
After all, Steelers fans are hoping that Rodgers picks up where he left off last year in New York, where he began to look like his old self again. It’s been years since Rodgers played at an MVP level, but far be it from one of the greatest passers of all time to lack the ability to return to form in earnest. Maybe if Rodgers plays to his own personal standard, it’d give him the itch to put one more season in with the Steelers.
It’s not as though Rodgers' presence, who would then be returning at 42 years old, would prevent the Steelers from pursuing a quarterback in next year’s draft. That quarterback would then get to spend his rookie season behind Rodgers, which is practically a dream scenario for Mike Tomlin and his staff.
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Of course, the biggest worry from Rodgers' less-than-firm stance is that it could cause a rollercoaster media frenzy where Steelers fans don’t know from one day to the next what Rodgers will do. Surely, Steelers fans would prefer to avoid any Brett Favre-esque shenanigans with the will-he, won’t-he retire conversation stretching on for months into the offseason.
Naturally, most Steelers fans will base their feelings on Rodgers' eventual decision on how well he performs this season. At this point, if he can get the team back into a state of postseason competitiveness, then most of the fanbase would welcome him back with open arms. There isn’t much room for that level of generosity if he delivers the same tired result fans have witnessed for the last eight years.