“He’s gonna be 43 during this season,” Nick Wright said on First Things First. “I am very pessimistic about how he’s going to look at the end of this season.”

On December 2, Rodgers will turn 43 years old and, despite continuing to be a source of inspiration for Will Howard and his teammates, some still believe his level of play is in question when it comes to making his team true contenders.

Is age a limiting factor for Aaron Rodgers?

In 2025, Aaron Rodgers completely ignored the calendar and delivered a masterclass in efficiency, proving to be the absolute missing piece to carry the Pittsburgh Steelers right back into the playoffs. He kept his composure like the seasoned vet he is, racking up 3,322 passing yards and dropping 24 touchdowns while throwing just 7 interceptions.

Even though he wasn’t scrambling around like a rookie, his elite decision-making and precision completely neutralized any concerns about his age, making it crystal clear that his football IQ is sharper than ever.

Rodgers looked untouched in 2025

After the devastating Achilles injury that cut his New York Jets debut short just four snaps into the 2024 season, many wondered if Aaron Rodgers would ever look the same. Instead, his 2025 campaign with the Pittsburgh Steelers was a masterclass in resilience, as he completely defied expectations by remaining entirely free of any major physical setbacks.

Aside from a minor, brief wrist issue, his body completely held up across 16 regular-season games. By avoiding the medical tent and protecting himself perfectly in the pocket, Rodgers completely silenced the critics who thought his 42-year-old frame would break down after such a brutal, career-altering injury.

There is a future beyond Rodgers

The Pittsburgh Steelers are already looking ahead, planning to groom both Will Howard and Drew Allar as the potential heirs to Aaron Rodgers’ throne. While Allar brings massive raw arm talent to the table, Howard’s adaptability could benefit the Steelers immensely as they transition into a new era, allowing the coaching staff to blend a versatile skill set with the invaluable mentorship of a future Hall of Famer.

“By now, Will Howard should be accustomed to learning a new playbook,” Gerry Dulac of The Pittsburgh Gazette wrote. “After all, Mike McCarthy’s offense is his fourth in four years. He feels Howard is ‘wired’ for the task.”

While many may see a lack of consistency and regularity as a potential drawback, the truth is that Howard has shown adaptability over the past few years, adjusting to whatever situation he has faced, even learning his coordinators’ systems from scratch.

Howard’s recent experiences

Over the last four years, quarterback Will Howard has faced the massive challenge of learning four entirely different consecutive playbooks. His journey began in 2023 with the Kansas State Wildcats, mastering a gritty, run-heavy spread option system.

By 2024, he transferred to Ohio State, adapting to a high-octane, star-studded offense that culminated in a CFP National Championship with the Buckeyes. Upon entering the NFL in 2025, Howard had to absorb Mike Tomlin‘s established, defensive-minded Pittsburgh Steelers system as a rookie.

Now, in 2026, he is forced to adapt yet again as Mike McCarthy takes the reins in Pittsburgh, requiring Howard to quickly command a brand new West Coast-hybrid offensive playbook.

The perfect mentor in Pittsburgh

For young quarterback Will Howard, having Aaron Rodgers as a teammate in Pittsburgh represents the ultimate masterclass in NFL preparation. As Rodgers officially commands his final season in 2026, Howard finds himself in the enviable position of learning directly from a four-time MVP and master of the position.

This two-year window alongside A-Rod provides Howard with invaluable daily exposure to Rodgers’ elite pre-snap processing, footwork, and veteran leadership. With the franchise likely turning to Howard as their future quarterback, this ideal mentorship setup ensures that when Rodgers finally steps away after the 2026 season, the Steelers’ next-in-line will be fully prepared to inherit the throne.

Foote is also a former Steeler coach, so he knows both franchises very well. “Off the film, if you had to bet, [Bain] is going to be a star,” Foote told reporters. “The way he plays the game, he’s explosive, plays with great leverage, and it’s hard to block those type of guys. Back in the my Pittsburgh days, I played with a guy, James Harrison, like that.”

Bain hasn’t even debuted in the NFL and he is already drawing comparisons to a player who has a Defensive Player of the Year, two Super Bowls, five Pro Bowl appearances, and is a two-time first-team All-Pro. It seems like sky is the limit for Bain.

Bain should make an impact straight from the get-go

Rueben Bain was expected to be a top 10 pick, and the Bucs managed to get him at 15th. Bain was one of the best pass rushers in College Football last season, but had a glaring weakness according to NFL scouts: his arm length.

However, Bain has the speed, acceleration, and raw strength to just overcome the obstacles. He also has the ability to go down the tackle’s posture, and then regain level to hit the quarterback. All skills point out at him being a difference maker.

The Bucs need to improve their pass rush

The Buccaneers had just 35 sacks last season, the least in the Todd Bowles era. Hence, getting Bain is just what they needed. Bain needs to establish dominance from early on and get the team some sacks.

If a team doesn’t pose a threat to the quarterback, the field will open up and the secondary gets exposed. Hence, for the pass defense, it’s as important to have a good pass rush as having a good set of cornerbacks.

According to Bleacher Report’s Khristopher Knox, the Steelers should prioritize adding a proven veteran like Diggs to ensure their postseason ambitions are met. “If Pittsburgh hopes to make Rodgers’ last ride a memorable one, it should add a little more to its receiving corps. DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr. should make a solid receiver duo,” Knox wrote in his recent analysis.

Knox further emphasized that while the top of the depth chart looks strong, the secondary options raise significant questions for an NFL contender. “However, rookies Germie Bernard and Kaden Wetjen are unproven, and Pittsburgh’s overall receiver depth is lacking. Adding a vet like [DeAndre] Hopkins or Stefon Diggs would help give the Steelers a playoff-caliber offense,” the report concluded.

Are Diggs and Hopkins the right options for Rodgers?

DeAndre Hopkins brings a massive amount of experience to the table, entering 2026 with 13 seasons under his belt and coming off a 2025 campaign where he recorded 22 receptions for 330 yards and two touchdowns in a limited role. Despite his age, his elite catch radius and ability to win 50-50 balls would provide Rodgers with a reliable safety net that rookie targets simply cannot replicate.

Diggs remains a high-level producer, having just surpassed the 1,000-yard mark for the seventh time in eight years during a productive 2025 season with the Patriots. Finishing last year with 85 receptions for 1,013 yards and four touchdowns, Diggs proved he still possesses the elite route-running and separation skills.

Choosing a veteran like Diggs or Hopkins would likely accelerate the Steelers’ offensive chemistry, as both players have spent over a decade deciphering NFL defenses. Their veteran savvy would allow them to read Rodgers’ subtle pre-snap adjustments immediately, creating a lethal partnership that could turn Pittsburgh into a legitimate Super Bowl threat.

Per Nick Farabaugh of Penn Live, the Steelers restructured Freiermuth’s deal. This will give the Steelers around $6 million in additional cap space for this year. The restructure pushes the cap hit into future years.

In 2027, Freiermuth’s contract is estimated at $12.1 million, while it falls to $10.5 million in 2028 if no more restructuring is done. Freiermuth is beloved by the Steelers fandom and is locked in for years to come.

Aaron Rodgers had great moments with Freiermuth

Last season, Freiermuth had to share snaps with Darnell Washington and Jonnu Smith, but he is the tight end one of this team. His hands are great, his routes are efficient, and his speed is great for a tight end. Aaron Rodgers surely loves that.

In 2025, Freiermuth had 486 yards for four touchdowns in 41 catches. Smith is gone from the team, so he should see more than the mere 51% snaps. That was a career low for Freiermuth, who prior to 2025, had 62% or more snaps played.

Steelers should use more TE plays

Freiermuth is a prolific tight end, Washington is a mountain of a man who is very hard to bring down. As for new head coach Mike McCarthy, he should expand the tight end usage. McCarthy could find mismatches using 12 personnel formations, he could improve the ground game, add protection to Rodgers, and have more red zone efficiency as well.

Brown made a TikTok Live which was captured by Brendan Howe of FanSided. During the livestream, Brown said, “I think DK Metcalf will come back this year motivated, hungry. You know what I’m saying? I think it’d be dope.”

That is something all the Steelers are waiting for. When they brought in DK Metcalf, the hope was he would become the team’s most unstoppable force. While he didn’t have a bad season, it still fell short of the expectations.

DK Metcalf’s debut season with the Steelers was average

Metcalf played 15 games for the Steelers last season. He had 59 catches in 99 targets for 850 yards and six touchdowns. That is a career-low in the receiving yards department for him. It’s also the second-lowest number in receptions and touchdowns.

However, Metcalf still showed glimpses of his talent and physical prowess. He will turn 29 years old this season, so he is still in the middle of his prime. Hence, Brown might be on to something when he says that Metcalf is coming motivated to prove he still belongs to the top of the league.

Metcalf will have to share targets though

The fact is that since Metcalf didn’t produce as he was expected to do, the Steelers traded for Michael Pittman Jr. Now, he has to share targets with Pittman, who is much more of a volume wideout.

Meanwhile, Metcalf could turn into the deep threat he can be, as well as a red-zone threat. Still, as long as he is making key plays for the Steelers, Metcalf will be fine. If not, he could face a dark future where he is relegated further and further.

Jones have been dealing with a neck injury, and while he has done individual work in OTAs, he’s not cleared to resume team drills. Speaking on his status with Chris Harlan of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Jones said, “I don’t really have a timeline. They didn’t really give me a timeline. They’re just monitoring it day by day, and we go from there.”

Jones has started 38 games in 45 games played for the Steelers. As he said it himself though, “I’m coming off a neck injury. Nobody knows what the future holds for me. Of course, they have to do what they do to protect themselves at the end of the day. I don’t have any ill will or anything toward them.”

Steelers drafted Max Iheanachor in case that Jones is not fit

The Steelers drafted the tackle Max Iheanachor in case Jones can’t play. If both can play, then it’s the best-case scenario for the team. Still, Jones is eager to help, “I’m down to help Max wherever he needs me. Because at the end of the day, all of us got to be ready.”

Iheanachor was the 21st pick in the NFL Draft, and he is poised to start at left tackle if Jones is not fit to go. However, he can also play at right tackle. Hence, Aaron Rodgers could be very well protected if both are fit.

The Steelers need a good offensive line to impose their will

Having Aaron Rodgers, even at this age, opens up a plethora of opportunities for the Steelers. If they can establish the run, Rodgers can cook in play-action, if they buy time for Rodgers, he can zing it downfield.

However, to make all of those things, the team needs a good offensive line to make it all possible. If there’s no O-line, the Steelers season could go down the drain really fast.

Speaking to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Rudolph said, “We’re trying to win now. You don’t bring back Aaron Rodgers if you don’t want to win now.” The message is clear, the Steelers feel capable to win it all this year.

While Rudolph has to fight for a spot on the roster against Drew Allar and Will Howard, Aaron Rodgers is clearly the starter. However, Rodgers confirmed 2026 will be his last NFL season before retiring.

Rudolph also hinted that he will be on the final roster

It’s been hinted by Mike McCarthy that the four quarterbacks could make the cut in the final 53-man roster. However, he also admitted he’s been communicated that he will have less reps, as Rodgers needs to get ready for his final season, and the Steelers want to develop Allar and Howard.

“I’m here to learn my offense,” Rudolph said. “My plans are to be here and to be on this team and to help in whatever fashion I can — and will.” Rudolph has been his whole career in Pittsburgh, barring a lone season in Tennessee.

Rudolph’s numbers with the Steelers

Excluding his time on the Titans, Rudolph has played 26 games across six seasons for the Steelers. During that time, he has 3,395 yards for 21 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions on 64.6% completion. He has a passer rating of 86.8 with the Steelers.

“We’ve definitely got four that we love, I can say that,” the head coach said to the press. “You always have to develop the room. That’s always been the approach. We’re hoping that (general manager) Omar (Khan) can get the roster expanded to 55 and we can keep four. It’s a really good room. This is a good place to be, having four guys that can play.”

Aaron Rodgers and Mason Rudolph represent the veteran presence. Will Howard and Drew Allar might be the future. It is no coincidence that all four are together this season: Steel City is going all in with A-Rod while also keeping their eyes on what could happen beyond 2027.

Mike McCarthy wants to develop the youngest talent

Aaron Rodgers’ return somehow benefits Will Howard as well as Drew Allar. With Mason Rudolph also on the roster, Mike McCarthy aims to fully develop and maximize the talent of his two young players at the position.

“Mason has a lot of experience,” the Steelers head coach said. “We’re trying to develop Will and Drew as well as we can. Will is ahead of Drew, just based on the fact that he’s been here.” Howard enters his second year in the NFL after not playing a single snap during his rookie season. Drew Allar, meanwhile, is taking his first steps in the league and will need to absorb as much information as possible to get up to speed.

Steelers have a HC who knows how to work with quarterbacks

Throughout his coaching career, Mike McCarthy has built a stellar reputation as a true quarterback guru with a proven track record of maximizing passing talent. This pedigree was solidified during his defining tenure with the Green Bay Packers, where he took over a young, raw Aaron Rodgers and meticulously developed him into a mechanical masterpiece and a future four-time MVP.

McCarthy’s quarterback-friendly system and strict developmental protocols have consistently elevated signal-callers, helping them master pre-snap reads, refine their footwork, and play with high-level efficiency. It is exactly this history of elite mentorship that makes his current role so intriguing as he looks to work his magic once again on a new generation of quarterbacks.

Pittsburgh already looking ahead to the 2026 season

Returning to another Super Bowl is the number one ambition in Steel City. These will be the first matchups of the upcoming season that they will have to face:

• Week 1, vs Atlanta Falcons
• Week 2, at New England Patriots
• Week 3, vs Cincinnati Bengals
• Week 4, at Cleveland Browns
• Week 5, vs Indianapolis Colts

“I was excited, I really was, because we really developed a special friendship, I felt like, last year. To be able to have another year with him and to learn from him, for him to continue to pour into Drew [Allar] and also me, is just an unbelievable opportunity for me as a young player in this league to learn from one of the legends that’s been doing it for a long time,” Howard said to the press.

“So, I’m excited. I just want to soak up everything I can. Take advantage of my opportunities when they’re there and just be the best version of myself every day.”

Will Howard’s rookie season was entirely a developmental year, as Aaron Rodgers managed to play every regular-season and playoff game for the Pittsburgh Steelers. It will now be time for Howard to make the most of the opportunity, with the possibility of becoming the new leader of Steel City in 2027.

Who will take the reins in Pittsburgh next season?

Aaron Rodgers will have his last dance in 2026, making this his final chance to win another Super Bowl ring. While many are enjoying the opportunity to have him for this season, others are already looking a little further ahead: who will be the starting quarterback in 2027?

It is clear that the recent selections of Will Howard and Drew Allar in the last two drafts are a strong indication of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ search for a future franchise quarterback. The development of both players under the wing of Rodgers, combined with Mason Rudolph’s experience on the depth chart, could be extremely beneficial for Mike McCarthy and his staff.

Opportunities to learn from Rodgers

The masterclass kicks off right now on the field with OTAs (running in blocks from May 18–21, May 26–29, and June 8–12), where Howard and Allar can study how Rodgers commands the huddle, messes with defenses during 7-on-7 drills, and uses his legendary hard count.

Then things pick up with Mandatory Minicamp (June 2–4), a high-intensity stretch under Mike McCarthy that will really test their mental speed. Finally, the real grind happens at Training Camp starting in late July. That’s where the young QBs can watch firsthand how a four-time MVP breaks down film, reads complex coverages, and prepares his mind and body for his 22nd and final NFL season.

Retirement is still close, though—just a little ways out and rising on the horizon. Rodgers confirmed 2026 will be his last NFL season, meaning he will retire younger than Tom Brady did. Still, he is excited for the upcoming campaign alongside McCarthy, with whom he won a Super Bowl—his lone Vince Lombardi Trophy—in 2011. In fact, if it had not been for the head coach, Rodgers may have called it a career this offseason.

“I thought that was probably it for me in Pittsburgh. But when the decision was made to hire Mike, I started opening my mind back up to coming back,” Rodgers stated, via ESPN’s Brooke Pryor.

Unfinished business for Rodgers

Had Rodgers closed out his chapter with the Steelers after the 2025 NFL season, a dull feeling would have lingered over his one-year stint in the Three Rivers. The future Hall of Famer and Tomlin‘s offense looked herky-jerky all season long.

To make matters worse, their final act is still giving fans in The Burgh nightmares. A whopping 30-6 home loss to the Houston Texans in the Wild Card round extended Pittsburgh’s postseason winless drought to nine straight years. The Steelers haven’t won a playoff game since the 2016 season. Not even Rodgers could wash that sour taste out of fans’ mouths.

Still, he’s ready to give it another shot in 2026. Perhaps, a decade later, the curse will finally be lifted. Rodgers has plenty to prove as well. His last postseason victory came during the 2020 season, and he’s gone 0-3 in the playoffs since then.

Rodgers and McCarthy reunite

With Mike McCarthy calling the shots, Rodgers may be in for a trip down memory lane—a return to the glory days. If the longtime coach-quarterback duo still has some magic left, the Steelers may have reason to believe.

If there’s one coach capable of getting the best out of “A-Rod,” it’s McCarthy. He served as Rodgers’ head coach in Green Bay for 13 seasons from 2006 to 2018. During that span, Rodgers won a Super Bowl and captured two NFL MVP awards. If he plays to even a fraction of that level in 2026, Pittsburgh could be in for a magical year.