The Pittsburgh Steelers may once again have to make a quarterback decision in 2026. Only a year after moving on from Russell Wilson and Justin Fields to sign Aaron Rodgers, the team’s quarterback room might suffer another change—depending on what the 4x NFL All-Star decides about his career.
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the Steelers want to continue having Rodgers as their starting quarterback in 2026. Speaking on Sunday’s NFL GameDay, the insider explained that Pittsburgh is happy with A-Rod and would like to have him even if the team picks a rookie quarterback in the 2026 NFL Draft.
“It’s gone well, he’s had a great experience, the Steelers have had a great experience with him,” Rapoport said of Rodgers. “He knew this week that maybe it might not be his last season, maybe he’ll have an opportunity or two to come back.
“To me, I wouldn’t be surprised at all if it’s Pittsburgh. Maybe they take a young quarterback [in the draft], they’re still going to need a bridge starter, I could see it being him.”
Aaron Rodgers looks on against the New England Patriots.
Aaron Rodgers doesn’t rule out returning to Steelers in 2026
At 42 and with his contract running out, Rodgers’ future in the NFL looks up in the air. While 2025 appeared to be his final season as he signed a one-year deal with the Steelers, the veteran quarterback recently left the door open on extending his career for at least another season.
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“Whenever the season ends, I’ll be a free agent. So that’ll give me a lot of options if I still want to play. I mean, not a lot of options, but there’ll be options, I would think, maybe one or two, if I decide I still want to play,” Rodgers said, via NFL.com.
“I’ve enjoyed this experience, and everybody in Pittsburgh has been fantastic to me on and off the field. And it’s really what I was hoping for this experience was, it’s been even better than I was hoping.”
Steelers’ options at QB for 2026
The Steelers already have backup QB Mason Rudolph under contract through 2026 in case they need an experienced signal-caller if Rodgers ultimately retires, with 2025 sixth-round draft pick Will Howard entering the second of his four-year rookie deal in 2026.
Depending on the prospects still available when it’s their turn on the clock, the Steelers could also bring in a new QB in the 2026 NFL Draft. Either way, Rapoport’s comments suggest that the Steelers’ priority would be to have Rodgers back. Therefore, A-Rod’s future in Pittsburgh might come down to whether he intends to continue playing in the NFL.
