The Pittsburgh Steelers finished with a 10-7 record and won the AFC North. After they lost to the Houston Texans in the AFC Wild Card Round, Mike Tomlin stepped down as head coach of Pittsburgh. A few weeks later, they hired Mike McCarthy to be the next head coach.
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Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) looks on after being sacked during the first half of the NFL Wild Card game against the Houston Texans at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA on January 12, 2026.
Many are wondering if quarterback Aaron Rodgers will be back with the team next season or retired. He is 42 years old. They both have a relationship with each other in the past when they were with the Green Bay Packers. They also won a Super Bowl together back during the 2010 season. Will Rodgers be the starting quarterback next season for Pittsburgh or will it be someone else?
NFL Analyst Believes That Aaron Rodgers Will Be the Pittsburgh Steelers Quarterback Next Season
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Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) fires the ball downfield during the second half of the NFL Wild Card game against the Houston Texans at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA on January 12, 2026.
Seth Walder of espn.com listed who will be the starting quarterback for each NFL team when the 2026 season comes around. He thinks that Pittsburgh is going to bring back Rodgers next season instead of going with Mason Rudolph, Will Howard, or someone else. Walder said,
“I don’t think Rodgers’ return is a foregone conclusion, but Mike McCarthy’s introductory news conference pushed me to thinking it will happen. Whenasked if he wanted Rodgers back, McCarthy said, “I mean, definitely. I don’t see why you wouldn’t.”
Despite McCarthy’s comment, there are plenty of reasons the Steelers might not want Rodgers back. He’s a 42-year-old quarterback who was last an above-average starter in 2021 (to be fair, he did win MVP that season). And Rodgers alsomust decidewhether he wants to play football in 2026.
But I suspect the Steelers won’t have the appetite to rebuild or take a flier on an unknown QB. So they’ll try to re-create the Packers of yesteryear, with Rodgers and McCarthy at the helm. Rodgers recorded a 44.4 QBR with the Steelers last season (23rd best). He continued to excel at turnover avoidance, but it came in conjunction with short, safe throws that weren’t that productive. Rodgers’ 2.59-second average time to throw was the fastest in the league, and 76% of his pass attempts were under 10 air yards, higher than for any other quarterback.
Pittsburgh can rely on its defense, and with a smart addition or two, things could break right when coupled with a turnover-averse Rodgers — even if his upside is severely limited at this point of his career. Perhaps that’s why they aren’t ready to tear it all down just yet.”
If Rodgers is back, Pittsburgh will be competitive once again in the AFC North. The Steelers don’t believe in rebuilding. During the 2025 NFL season, he completed 65.7% of his passes for 3,322 yards, 24 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. It would also be a surprise if Rodgers does return because he has nothing left to prove in his NFL career also.
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