The Pittsburgh Steelers are still waiting for a decision from 42-year-old quarterback Aaron Rodgers, but in the meantime GM Omar Khan and head coach Mike McCarthy are putting together a solid roster around the position.
Questions remain at left guard and at left tackle with Broderick Jones’ health up in the air, but the Steelers have added some weapons for 2026, regardless of who their quarterback may be.
Trading for Michael Pittman Jr. was a great bit of business by Khan and the Steelers, and the signing of running back Rico Dowdle to replace Kenneth Gainwell was an under-the-radar move. Add the moves the Steelers made on defense with the signings of cornerback Jamel Dean and safety Jaquan Brisker, and Pittsburgh’s arrow is pointing up.
That’s why former Steelers offensive lineman Willie Colon believes that if Rodgers re-signs with the Steelers, Pittsburgh will win a playoff game in 2026.
“When he lands back in Pittsburgh, he’s walking to a locker room with new weapons and Michael Pittman and Rico Dowdle, we have a refurbished offensive line. They’re gonna probably address the left half of me in the draft, but he’s gonna have guys who’s played with, and really that he’s helped educate from the neck up,” Colon said Tuesday on NFL Network’s Good Morning Football, according to video via NFL Network. “You talk about DK Metcalf, this is gonna be his second year with Aaron Rodgers. You talk about Michael Pittman, who I feel like has a chip on the shoulder because a lot of people feel like his best years are behind him.
“Rico Dowdle’s gonna be great for the run game. Something that the Steelers need to get back to do at an elite level is running the ball.”
The pieces added this offseason make sense for what the Steelers needed. Last season with Rodgers and the Steelers running that quick-strike passing game, they didn’t have a receiver opposite DK Metcalf who could win quickly off the line of scrimmage and make tough catches.
They have that now in Pittman.
The Steelers needed another bruiser at running back to help fit into that physical style of play they envision. Dowdle fits that, especially with his history with McCarthy dating back to their days in Dallas.
The left side of the offensive line is a concern, but the Steelers have a path to address that in the 2026 NFL Draft, so that should be shored up, too.
Colon believes Rodgers elevated the Steelers last year. Now, with weapons added around him, it should be even better this season assuming he returns.
“I think Aaron Rogers erased so many deficiencies last year and I thought he kind of got unhinged towards the back end of the season and then he gets the Houston Texans in the playoffs. Things just kind unraveled in front of him,” Colon said. “Nevertheless, man, he’s going into this season saying, ‘Hey, I got new weapons. I got guys who are battle-tested vested and know how to play at a high level.’
“So I think Aaron Rogers will win a playoff game next season.”
The Steelers tried that late last year with Adam Thielen and Marquez Valdes-Scantling at receiver. It didn’t work out. But now, with Pittman in the fold and Dowdle in the backfield, the arrow is pointing up. Maybe it leads to a playoff win if Rodgers returns for one more run with McCarthy.
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