The Pittsburgh Steelers had a relatively good experience with veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers in 2025. The four-time MVP led the team to an AFC North championship while proving that he can still play at a high level. Unfortunately, he is 42 years old and him returning to play in the Steel City may or may not occur. Overall, the organization's risk of signing him in June of 2025 was worth the reward, as he only missed one game throughout the regular season, even though he suffered a broken wrist that took some time to recover from late in the year.
Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (X: @JSKO_PHOTO)
Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers drops back and gets ready to unleash a pass as the team goes through a workout during a 2025 training camp practice at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.
It's anyone's guess as to when the future Hall of Fame signal-caller will commit to either continuing to play or retiring. It seems as if he was a good fit for the Steelers' locker room in 2025, but there has been a coaching regime change in the Steel City. With that said, the quarterback and new head Coach Mike McCarthy have just a little bit of history with one another.
Rodgers — despite nearing his mid-40s — took hits and played well enough to earn the right to return in 2026. The issue with that is the simple fact that he could be one devastating hit away from his career ending in the blink of an eye. This is what recently came to light when a former NFL physician's website gave clear analysis about worrying for the Super Bowl XLV champion.
Dr. David J. Chao runs an outlet known as Sports Injury Central, and the group took a deep dive into certain players with NFL free agency on the minds of fans media alike. Rodgers was a focal point of the article, and it's safe to say that, even though the passer got through the 2025 campaign, he has to be viewed as a risk moving forward.
“Rodgers remains a health-risk evaluation because of his age, recent Achilles history and additional wear-and-tear concerns over the past two seasons," the published piece noted.
This is a very fair point. Despite the fact that Rodgers made it through a season relatively unscathed, it has to be acknowledged that he tore his Achilles in recent years. The Steelers would be happy to welcome him back if the contract and details make sense; however, it's hard to ignore the fact that a very reputable medical outlet has worries about the veteran.
Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (X: @JSKO_PHOTO)
Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers gets set to unleash a pass as quarterbacks coach Tom Arth and backup quarterback Will Howard look on while the team practices during 2025 training camp at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.
Pittsburgh will likely look to evaluate all quarterback options, but nothing will be set in stone until Rodgers make a decision on his future. The organization is at a crossroads when it comes to the position, so fans will continue to be on the edge of their seats until some kind of understanding between the franchise and signal-caller is made public.
The Steelers need to find a long-term solution; however, Rodgers is a good stop-gap option for another year if he so chooses to return. Additionally, Pittsburgh will have to decide what the alternative plan is if he comes back, as the Sports Injury Central worries comes could come to fruition. One injury could easily ruin the 2026 campaign for McCarthy and co., which provides an entirely different dynamic to the future.
Gene J. Puskar / Associated Press
Steelers Head Coach Mike McCarthy looks out toward the media during his opening press conference on Tuesday, January 27, 2026 which was held at Acrisure Stadium.
Steelers Would Have Chance To Repeat As AFC North Champions With Rodgers
Pittsburgh has a division title to defend. Not many expected that to be the case when Rodgers agreed to play for the Black and Gold. Now, it appears as if he could run it back with the hopes of making a postseason push with McCarthy. It would be a story that would be written about for several years; however, the soon-to-be 43-year-old will have to commit to playing, and then find a way to stay upright and healthy. That is not necessarily an easy task, which makes things very interesting.
#SteelerNation