Ravens Should Expect Aaron Rodgers' Return to Steelers

Few NFL players have ever savored controlling narratives quite like Aaron Rodgers, who's enjoyed having the rest of the football media landscape wrapped around his finger in his advanced age, and the Baltimore Ravens may have to face him twice for a second-straight season in 2026.

Prepare for another offseason of speculation as to whether he'll return to the Pittsburgh Steelers, with he, himself, fueling many of those rumors himself thanks to numerous cryptic and purposefully-open-ended quotes.

The same song and dance set him up a year ago, when he first chose to join the AFC North, and he didn't let his 42nd birthday distract from a season that was good enough to inspire another storyline-filled offseason, and he's right back to making it tough for the Ravens to plan their path back to contention.

He was one of the great thorns in their side amidst a season full of pains, getting the better of the Ravens in both of their high-profile matchups. He first exposed how nonthreatening their pass-rush was with a comically-comfortable showing in the Steelers' 27-22 Week 14 win, and then outclassed Baltimore in the clutch once again to punt the Ravens from the playoff picture in that crushing regular season finale.

Baltimore Ravens Kicker Tyler Loop — Jan 4, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Baltimore Ravens place kicker Tyler Loop (33) reacts after missing the game winning field goal against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the second half at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

He'll have plenty of decisions to weigh over the coming months; he did just take advantage of his weak division in clinching another playoff berth, but his Steelers' ugly and immediate postseason departure to the Houston Texans opened the door for those questioning how many more times Rodgers can face down these hard-hitting defenses. And now that the historic organization is forced to trek on without longtime head coach Mike Tomlin, the usually-stable Steelers have the chance to fall off of a cliff.

Maybe Tomlin replacement and former Rodgers coach Mike McCarthy can inspire the four-time MVP to stick around for one more season.

According to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, "odds are increasing" that he stays put, with McCarthy and star wideout DK Metcalf playing chief roles in campaigning for Rodgers' re-signing. It's appearing as if the ball is, once again, in his court.

The "odds are increasing" that Aaron Rodgers returns to the Steelers next season, per @TomPelissero.

NFL GameDay Morning on NFLN pic.twitter.com/AN3U12WJY3
— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) February 8, 2026

What Does This Mean for the Ravens?

The Ravens, luckily, weren't just activated by Rodgers' choice to reheat last summer's will he-won't he drama. They already made their own drastic moves earlier in the offseason by firing their own Super Bowl-winning head coach for a newcomer in Jesse Minter, doing good on their word to make drastic alterations in the face of mediocrity.

They have plenty of their own factors going for them, even if their depleted roster did contribute mightily to last season's underwhelming 8-9 finish. A worse record will end up rewarding the Ravens with improved standing in the draft order, as well as an easier schedule to take advantage of in pushing back into the playoff picture.

Baltimore Ravens Head Coach Jesse Minter — Jan 29, 2026; Owings Mills, MD, USA; Sashi Brown, Jesse Minter, and Eric DeCosta on the podium at the press conference introducing Jesse Minter at Under Armour Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Lexi Thompson-Imagn Images | Lexi Thompson-Imagn Images

Those two pivotal Steelers wins, the ones that ultimately swung the north away from the back-to-back divisional champions, revealed all that was wrong with the Ravens. Lamar Jackson was under constant duress thanks to his porous offensive line, but Rodgers could never say the same. Baltimore's thin band of defensive ends did little to frighten his own protectors, with both sides of the line flopping publicly enough to shoot to the top of the organization's list of offseason needs.

Whether they'll end up lining back up against Rodgers, who'll be another year older upon their next potential matchup, this squad is all-in on overcoming whatever it was that they spent 18 weeks broadcasting about themselves over this past campaign.

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