Looking around the NFL, the only current QB opening left for next season is the Pittsburgh Steelers.
For a team that values consistency and winning at all costs, this type of uncertainty at quarterback is far from what the Steelers want.
Will Aaron Rodgers Return to the Pittsburgh Steelers?
The reason why the Steelers have a quarterback opening is that Aaron Rodgers, the starter last season, is out of contract. He helped the Steelers reach the playoffs, finishing the season 11th in passing attempts (498) and 10th in passes completed (327) per PFSN’s QB Impact Metric, but when they got there, Rodgers had a poor performance.
This may have led the Steelers to consider other options this offseason, but those options are no longer available, so a Rodgers return may be on the table.
With the hiring of Mike McCarthy as head coach, who has a long history with Rodgers, it would also make sense for him to have his quarterback back for one more year.
It has become more and more likely that Rodgers will return to the Steelers. Former Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger believes that another move the team made, trading for wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr., is a major reason why Rodgers will return in 2026.
When talking about the Pittman trade, here is what Roethlisberger said about a Rodgers return: “How is Aaron not coming back when you have those kind of weapons, there’s no way he’s not coming back. I don’t see how he doesn’t.”
Then, when asked if he thinks Pittman is currently practicing with Rodgers, Roethlisberger answered: “Probably.” Roethlisberger then said how Rodgers should just let them know his decision, which confirms that the former NFL quarterback does not actually know if Rodgers will be back, but his reasoning made sense.
Currently, the Steelers’ offensive weapons are wide receivers D.K. Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr., running backs Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle, and tight ends Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington. The WR3 spot still needs to be upgraded, but the Steelers have enough draft picks to get that done.
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Focusing on the running backs, that duo of Warren and Dowdle will also take as much pressure as possible off of Rodgers, which is needed for this team to win in 2026.
Time will tell whether the Steelers bring Rodgers back, or even if he wants to come back, but one thing is already true about this situation: The Steelers need to find someone to play quarterback in 2026 so this team can get back to winning.
