The biggest drama in Pittsburgh this offseason unquestionably centered around Aaron Rodgers and whether he’d play one more season. Plenty of people wondered whether the Steelers should really allow themselves to get strung along by Rodgers, who has turned quarterback uncertainty into an annual ritual.
But for Pittsburgh, waiting was the right move.
Rodgers is 42 and clearly nearing the end. Even so, he remains a talented, intelligent quarterback. In Pittsburgh’s case, getting one more season from Rodgers makes far more sense than trying to survive with the rest of the quarterback room. Here’s why the Steelers made the right call.
Rodgers Doesn’t Need the Full Offseason
At this stage, there is very little Rodgers gains from extra offseason reps. He’s been through all of this before, repeatedly. He’s even operated in this offense before. Mike McCarthy is now in Pittsburgh, reuniting Rodgers with his longtime former coach from Green Bay.
The Steelers can trust Rodgers will be ready once training camp arrives. He doesn’t need a lengthy ramp-up period after 22 NFL seasons. Pittsburgh is paying for all of that experience, preparation, and football intelligence.
Without Rodgers, the Steelers would have needed to dedicate far more time toward developing their younger quarterbacks. Now they don’t have to rush that process.
Pittsburgh’s Quarterback Situation Isn’t Ready
Pittsburgh has intriguing talent in Will Howard and Drew Allar. But neither quarterback is prepared to lead an NFL offense right now. Turning to either of them, or even Mason Rudolph, would have essentially waved a white flag on the 2026 season.
The Steelers have no interest in doing that.
The AFC North is also in a vulnerable spot. Joe Burrow still doesn’t have much defensive help in Cincinnati, Baltimore is adjusting to a new head coach, and Cleveland remains a complete mess. That’s hardly the ideal moment to begin a full rebuild, especially when every division rival carries real flaws.
With Rodgers, Pittsburgh at least stays a contender in the division and a serious playoff threat. Once you get into the postseason, anything can happen. That possibility simply did not exist with Howard or Allar starting in 2026.
Now, both young quarterbacks can spend a season learning behind Rodgers while Pittsburgh tries to maximize its current roster.
The Defense Is Built to Win Right Now
Pittsburgh also can’t afford to waste the remaining prime years of TJ Watt and Cameron Heyward. Watt may still be around once the Steelers eventually transition into a rebuild, but Heyward almost certainly won’t.
The organization has invested heavily into its defense, and it owes that core one more legitimate chance to compete.
That means prioritizing the 2026 roster, not focusing entirely on 2028 or 2029. As long as Pittsburgh has this kind of veteran defensive talent in place, the franchise has to approach the season with urgency.
The Steelers effectively acknowledged that when they replaced Mike Tomlin with Mike McCarthy. McCarthy brings years of playoff experience and a proven track record of winning seasons.
At 62 years old, McCarthy likely isn’t interested in overseeing a lengthy rebuild either. He wants an opportunity to compete immediately, and Pittsburgh offers exactly that, provided the Steelers have stability under center.
Bottom Line
Will Pittsburgh win the Super Bowl this season? Probably not. The Steelers still have several concerns to address, particularly at wide receiver, and they’ll need favorable injury luck throughout the year.
But, there is at least a roadmap.
That path only becomes realistic with an experienced quarterback leading the offense, and those options are not exactly easy to find. As long as Rodgers is fully committed, he represented Pittsburgh’s best opportunity for 2026.
Now the Steelers get to find out whether the gamble was worth it.
If this was your kind of read, you’ll like what’s next. Get The Sandman Ticket, our free, weekly newsletter with picks, insights, and a little bit of everything we love about sports.
