Based on how the Pittsburgh Steelers have conducted business this offseason under first-year head coach Mike McCarthy, there’s a belief internally that they are still in a competitive window and can compete for a Super Bowl.
GM Omar Khan and the Steelers were aggressive this offseason, making key signings in free agency, trading for wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr., and bringing back 42-year-old quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
On an older roster, the Steelers are going all in once again to try and get over the hump in the postseason. That might seem foolish to some, but the Steelers have their conviction.
It could all go very well, or it could crash and burn. For CBS Sports’ Tyler Sullivan, there’s no real middle ground when it comes to his best- and worst-case scenarios for the Steelers in 2026.
“Aaron Rodgers has just enough fuel left in the tank to make another push toward a second straight AFC North title. The 42-year-old is reunited with head coach Mike McCarthy, and they pick up where they left off in Green Bay,” Sullivan writes of the best-case scenario for the Steelers. “They put together impressive numbers, especially now that Pittsburgh has a legitimate No. 2 option in the passing game with Michael Pittman Jr. complementing DK Metcalf.”
Banking on Rodgers performing well in his reunion with Mike McCarthy seems like a great risk. Sure, the arm talent is still there, but the ability to extend plays, move in the pocket and hold the ball long enough to make things happen downfield just isn’t there at this point of Rodgers’ career.
When defenses forced him to hold the football and generated pressure last season, Rodgers’ game fell off significantly. That was clear in the Steelers’ Wild Card loss to the Houston Texans. Rodgers looked like a shell of himself and appeared set to slink into the retirement sunset.
But McCarthy’s hiring changed that, and now Rodgers is back for another season. He’ll be in a scheme he’s had success in, and the Steelers have upgraded the offense around him. The defense will be improved, too, as depth is in a good spot, and the addition of defensive coordinator Patrick Graham should unlock the star talent on that side of the football.
It will all come down to Rodgers though. If he doesn’t improve, it could all end poorly.
“Rodgers looks like a quarterback in his early 40s who already has one foot out the door,” Sullivan writes of the Steelers’ worst-case scenario. “Pittsburgh’s roster looks too old and less explosive than some of its division rivals, and the Steelers are left in the dust by both the Ravens and Bengals.
“They are on the outside looking in on the playoffs, and a below-.500 season is how Rodgers’ career comes to a close.”
Though Rodgers had some good moments in 2025, there is a belief that he’s past his expiration date. He was already contemplating retirement, so as Chuck Noll used to say: if you’re thinking retirement, you’ve already retired. Rodgers will have to prove that isn’t the case.
He’s with a familiar coaching staff, and he sounded recharged regarding the offense and the opportunity ahead. But a lot rides on him making improvements from last season. If he doesn’t, it could be another long, frustrating season.
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