The Pittsburgh Steelers seem to have an idea of who their starting quarterback will be in 2026. The expectation is that Aaron Rodgers will return for another season and reunite with Mike McCarthy to lead the Steelers offense. Last season, Pittsburgh finished with a 10-7 record and an AFC North title while Rodgers threw for 24 touchdowns with only seven interceptions.
Rodgers is entering his age-43 season, and it seems the Steelers want him back rather than preparing for the future. However, the four-time NFL MVP has still not signed a contract, and it remains to be seen what his plans are for the offseason.
NFL Insider Thinks Steelers’ Patience Will Run Out
Rodgers has put the Steelers in a strange place by stringing them along, and there are questions about how much longer the team will wait.
NFL Insider Tom Pelissero joined ‘The Rich Eisen Show” to discuss Rodgers and the timetable for him to return to the Steelers. Pelissero said this decision is not about money; it is more about commitment.
“I still believe he’s going to sign,” he said. “There is nothing that I have been told that makes me believe the contract is going to be an issue with Aaron Rodgers. It’s going to be a one-year deal. It’s going to have a two [$20 million+] in front of it. I believe it’s a pretty straightforward type of thing because this is not about money for a player who has made close to $400 million in his career.”
“At some point, the patience is going to run out,” he added. “It certainly seems like the patience for Steelers fans, just based on the feedback I get every time I talk about Aaron Rodgers, may already be running out. For Art Rooney, for Mike McCarthy, who’s trying to get the team ready on the field, that patience may be tested. I don’t believe that has happened yet.”
Pelissero also said the Steelers’ patience might get tested if Rodgers doesn’t sign a deal by “the start of next week,” as their OTAs will start on May 18.
Rodgers has to show good faith and let the Steelers know what he is thinking. It is a bad look to leave the team out to dry like this, but that is nothing new for a quarterback who has always had a prickly personality.
Pelissero continued, “It’s not the contract, it’s not about any conspiracy theories, it’s about Aaron Rodgers deciding, ‘Yes, I am 100% committed to playing football in 2026, and I’m going to put in the time to make sure that I and everyone around me is ready to roll.'”
BE AN NFL GM: PFSN’s Ultimate GM Simulator
The Steelers should consider setting a deadline for Rodgers to decide. OTAs are right around the corner, and the team needs to know what their quarterback room is going to look like.
All things considered, it may be better for the Steelers if Rodgers retires. According to PFSN’s QB Impact Metric, the 42-year-old quarterback posted an impact score of 71.1 last season and ranked 29th at his position. He likely will not lead them to anything substantial in 2026, and at least they could let Will Howard and Drew Allar battle it out this offseason for the starting quarterback job.
The Steelers have been in quarterback purgatory ever since Ben Roethlisberger retired. Having Rodgers win them eight or nine games next season will not get them any closer to finding a franchise quarterback.
No matter what happens with the Steelers, you can assume it will be all over the headlines. Rodgers going back to Pittsburgh to join his former head coach would be great for the NFL. But it may not lead to a successful season in the Steel City.
