One of the Pittsburgh Steelers' last potential fallback options is officially off the table. As the remaining free-agent quarterback dominoes continue to fall—with Russell Wilson signing with the New York Giants—the Steelers’ wait for Aaron Rodgers drags on.
Pittsburgh has pushed all its chips in, banking on Rodgers as their solution under center. However, as time passes and the NFL Draft inches closer, the Steelers should start to worry about what Rodgers ultimately decides.
Aaron Rodgers faces two choices now, and one could foil the Pittsburgh Steelers' 2026 plans
The longer Pittsburgh is left in limbo, the more nervous they should get. Realistically, Rodgers has only two options left: finish out the last year or two of his career with the Steelers in pursuit of one final playoff push, or call it a career and cement his Hall of Fame legacy.
Given the prolonged silence, you have to wonder if retirement is on his mind—or if, true to form, Rodgers is simply relishing the drama. The Vikings have already ruled themselves out, and the Giants seemingly grew tired of the waiting game. At this point, it’s Pittsburgh or nothing—unless Rodgers drags this out into training camp, hoping for another desperate team to come calling.
The decision should be clear, but Rodgers holds all the leverage. The question now is whether he leaves the Steelers hanging. At some point, Pittsburgh has to take control of the situation—they can’t afford to let Rodgers play them like a fiddle indefinitely.
The Steelers have put themselves in a tough position, waiting on a quarterback who thrives on unpredictability and drama. While Rodgers remains one of the most talented signal-callers ever to play the game, he is also known for making decisions on his own timeline.
The longer this drags on, the more it feels like Pittsburgh is being strung along. If Rodgers truly wanted to be a Steeler, he would have decided by now, but instead, Pittsburgh is stuck holding its breath, wondering if they’ll land a future Hall of Famer or be left scrambling for alternatives.
We’ll wait to see how this unfolds, but if retirement is the final answer, the Steelers may have no choice but to target a quarterback in the mid-rounds of the NFL Draft. In that case, Mason Rudolph would likely be the favorite to start for Pittsburgh in 2026. The Steelers put themselves in this position, and now, their fate rests in the hands of a 41-year-old quarterback.