Aaron Rodgers Michael Penix Jr.
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NFL analyst Dan Hanzus proposed the Pittsburgh Steelers trade for Michael Penix Jr. instead of re-signing veteran Aaron Rodgers.
The Pittsburgh Steelers appear to be patiently waiting on the possibility of veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers returning next season. NFL pundits, though, are a different story.
For them, patience is running out. As a result, pundits are beginning to argue the Steelers should go elsewhere at quarterback for 2026.
NFL analyst Dan Hanzus argued that point on his podcast Wednesday. Hanzus stated the Steelers should forego a Rodgers reunion to instead trade for Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr.
“How about the Steelers, instead just being parked in the cul-de-sac of elite mediocrity, they actually use this season to evaluate a young passer,” Hanzus said on Heed the Call, via Steelers Depot’s Jake Brockhoff. “I think it would work for both sides.
“The Steelers, the Aaron Rodgers thing, where he’s once again playing this game. Like, you don’t have to do it. You don’t have to go back to Aaron Rodgers, who gives you one of the most limited ceilings in the league.”
Penix entered the NFL as a polarizing prospect two years ago. The Falcons, though, made him the No. 8 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
In two seasons, Penix is 4-8 as a starter. This offseason, he is recovering from knee surgery.
But going into his third season, Penix’s potential remains undeniable.
“The Huskies’ offensive design helped declutter coverages for Penix, allowing him to throw a higher number of intermediate and deep passes,” NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein wrote during the 2024 draft process. “His delivery is bundled and his release point is very low, but his monster game against Texas showed flashes of impeccable touch.
“Penix has plenty of arm but needs to work with more consistent timing between the numbers to eliminate unnecessary contested throws.”
Ceiling for Aaron Rodgers & Michael Penix Jr.
During his argument Wednesday, Hanzus referred to a Steelers-Penix trade as “reckless speculation.” That doesn’t exactly provide a lot of confidence that the Steelers will actually trade for the quarterback.
But Hanzus’s proposal in principle makes sense. He wants the Steelers to take another risk at quarterback.
Rodgers isn’t a risk. He’s the safe pick because he can lead the Steelers to 9-11 regular season wins again. Maybe with another chance in the playoffs, the team can win its first postseason game in nearly a decade.
But it appears Hanzus doesn’t see Rodgers leading the Steelers to the Super Bowl in 2026.
So, in the long run, it would be more beneficial for the Steelers to start a young quarterback. That’s really the only way the franchise gets closer to its next Super Bowl run.
Again, the draft evaluators were very mixed on Penix two years ago. But he has raw talent, and the Steelers hired Mike McCarthy to develop the team’s next quarterback.
Perhaps Penix can reach his ceiling under McCarthy. At the very least, he could compete with Will Howard for snaps next season.
Why the Steelers Aren’t Likely to Trade for Penix
Once again, on paper, the crux of Hanzus’s argument makes sense. Pundits have criticized the Steelers repeatedly for safe decisions they have made in recent years.
Trading for Penix instead of re-signing Rodgers certainly wouldn’t be that. But that doesn’t mean it’s the right calculated risk to take.
Penix turned in a rather disappointing 2025 campaign for the Falcons. In nine starts, he posted a 60.1% completion percentage with nine touchdowns and three interceptions. Penix also averaged 7.2 yards per pass.
His arm strength didn’t deliver consistent big plays down the field as some draft evaluators promised. Penix and the Falcons offense didn’t play well situationally either. That’s why the team went 3-6 with him as its starter.
While Penix will only be entering his third NFL season, he’s already turning 26 years old. This offseason, he’s recovering from yet another ACL injury.
The left-handed quarterback had two ACL surgeries during his college career.
The Falcons signed signal-caller Tua Tagovailoa this week. Tagovailoa is likely to enter this offseason as Atlanta’s starter as Penix continues to rehab. That leaves Penix’s future with the Falcons murky.
Maybe Penix ultimately lands on the trade block. But Pittsburgh seems like an unlikely destination. The Steelers actively like low-risk moves, which isn’t what acquiring an injured 26-year-old quarterback with 12 career starts would be.
“The ceiling with Rodgers definitely has some limits,” wrote Brockhoff. “But his floor is also pretty high…
“You can certainly argue a 25-year-old Michael Penix Jr. offers more potential for the future. But you can also argued the floor is lower.”