While it shouldn’t take as long as it did last offseason, the Pittsburgh Steelers once again find themselves waiting on Aaron Rodgers. It’s no coincidence that their preference to bring Rodgers back coincides with a relatively poor quarterback market for the second offseason in a row.
Even though he’ll turn 43 late in the 2026 season, Rodgers is still one of the better options for the Steelers, especially given his history with Mike McCarthy. But he does not excite Yahoo Sports’ Frank Schwab, who’s less than enthusiastic about the Steelers’ chances with him back in the fold.
“I think the Steelers would be better off in the long run if Aaron Rodgers took his time, and they were like, ‘we got to move on.’ Or, if Aaron Rodgers said, ‘I’m done playing’. Because I don’t think going down this path with a 43-year old Aaron Rodgers is getting you where you want to go. At some point, somebody needs to just slap the option out of their hand,” Schwab said Monday on the Inside Coverage podcast. “It’s no different than what the Steelers have done the last five years.”
Schwab was similarly pessimistic about the Steelers’ chances with Rodgers in 2025. And while Pittsburgh didn’t break through and end its playoff losing streak, Rodgers was mostly successful. He had limitations that any quarterback his age would have, but he still has enough arm talent to make big throws when he needs to, and he still processes the game at an elite level.
Both of those traits make his rising age a little bit less worrisome. He can’t escape the pocket, but he can process things faster than most quarterbacks, both pre- and post-snap. And we saw the Steelers’ offense have success last year when the receiving talent around him stepped up.
While he’s not young, the Steelers clearly are looking for their quarterback of the future. And that’s actually another reason to want Rodgers back. If Will Howard is who the Steelers want to be their future, another year with Rodgers certainly wouldn’t hurt his development. Same with any quarterback Pittsburgh might draft. There are reclamation projects out there, like Kyler Murray and potentially even Daniel Jones. Regardless, having Rodgers in the building would help any young quarterback Pittsburgh hopes to develop.
In terms of winning in 2026, Schwab sees only Minnesota as a good fit for Rodgers.
“Aaron Rodgers is not anybody’s answer. Maybe for the Vikings. That’s one team that actually does make a little sense,” Schwab said.
Even last offseason, the Vikings were repeatedly mentioned as a destination for Rodgers. But it doesn’t seem like he’s on Minnesota’s radar, as of now.
No doubt, the Steelers need much more receiving talent to help Rodgers. He can’t elevate a mediocre receiving room as much as he used to. However, with the right talent, he certainly can succeed. The offensive line feels stable, and the running back room will too, especially if the Steelers can retain Kenneth Gainwell. With a couple of extra receivers, Rodgers can still have success in 2026.
It’s understandably not the most exciting move. Especially with how the 2025 season ended. But the Steelers don’t have much else out there. The team just isn’t going to tank, and Rodgers is an option to keep it in contention. Against Schwab’s wishes, he seems to be the Steelers’ top priority at the game’s most important position.
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