Colts QB Daniel Jones
Getty
Colts QB Daniel Jones
The Pittsburgh Steelers rolled the dice with Aaron Rodgers in 2025 and were rewarded with a late-season run to a division title and playoff berth.
The Steelers face more uncertainty on the quarterback position going into the 2026 season, but one analyst believes they could take another big swing. Garrett Podell of CBS Sports broke down landing spots for the top free agent quarterbacks this offseason, predicting the Steelers could land one who made a surprise early run at the MVP award.
Steelers Could Find Aaron Rodgers Replacement
While Rodgers has not yet said whether he plans to retire or return to the NFL, the Steelers could forge ahead with their plans for 2026 by landing a new signal-caller. Podell called them a “logical fit” for Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones, who had a surprise turnaround season that was cut short by injury.
“Jones was playing like an early-season NFL MVP candidate for the Indianapolis Colts before a fibula injury transformed into a torn Achilles injury in Week 14,” Podell wrote. “Jones produced career-highs in completion percentage (68%), passing yards per game (238.5) and yards per pass attempt (8.1) in his lone season starting for the Colts. … If Jones can stay healthy, he showed enough to indicate that he can be Indianapolis’ long-term starter under head coach Shane Steichen.”
The Steelers could have other options. Podell also pegged them as a fit for Malik Willis, who had a strong season while playing in relief of Jordan Love with the Green Bay Packers. Podell suggested that Willis could have what it takes to be a starting quarterback in the NFL.
“After flaming out as a 2022 third-round pick of the Tennessee Titans and then rising again while learning from Matt LaFleur and Love in Green Bay, Willis is ready for another chance at being an NFL starting quarterback,” Podell wrote.
Aaron Rodgers Could Return
While the Steelers could explore other options, the team’s preferred path could be a return from Rodgers. The veteran quarterback has not said what he plans to do, but ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on his podcast that he could ultimately return to Pittsburgh.
Schefter suggested that Rodgers could make his decision sometime in the next few weeks.
“The belief around the league is that he’s supposed to give an answer by mid-March,” Schefter said. “The feeling is that he could be back with the Pittsburgh Steelers.”
Others are not so optimistic. CBS Sports reporter Aditi Kinkhabwala said in an appearance on 93.7 The Fan that he beliees the former league MVP is done with his NFL career.
“Having spoken to people who were around him, who have been around him, most everyone that I’ve spoken to who has been around him feels that the chance that he comes back to play is minuscule,” said Kinkhabwala, via Steelers Depot’s Ross McCorkle. “In conversations with people who were around him all year who were with him when he was leaving the Steelers when the season was over, all of those people that I spoke to said that it seems far more likely that he is done than that he is going to return.”