Steelers Setting Themselves Up For Failure With Aaron Rodgers Situation

The Pittsburgh Steelers, despite being perennial playoff contenders, have appeared content toiling in mediocrity over recent years.

Instead of pushing all their chips into the middle of the table or taking any huge risks, the Steelers are comfortable taking the safest route available to them, which has been a point of contention amongst the franchise's fan base.

ESPN's Dan Graziano raised that exact point when answering the question of why Pittsburgh hasn't tried harder to make an upgrade at quarterback, especially given its ongoing wait for Aaron Rodgers to make his decision for the 2026 season.

"No team seems to enjoy its status quo as much as the Steelers do," Graziano wrote. "Frankly, you can see why. They haven't had a losing season since 2003. They've made the playoffs 17 times this century. No team has won more Super Bowls than the Steelers. They're consistent contenders, year in and year out -- there is almost never a game in which they don't have something to play for.

"What irks Steelers fans is the recent inability to rise above the status quo. Pittsburgh hasn't won a playoff game since January 2017. It hasn't won more than 10 games in a season since 2020. It hasn't been to the Super Bowl in 15 years and hasn't won it in 17. It might be time for the Steelers to get outside of their comfort zone and try to find a quarterback solution that isn't just a bandage."

Jan 12, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) warms up before an AFC Wild Card Round game against the Houston Texans at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images | Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

When Will Steelers Finally Break Through?

If Rodgers does indeed return to Pittsburgh, which remains the expectation, it'll be hard to drum up a ton of optimism.

Sure, the 42-year-old will likely play well enough, given the talent on the team's roster, to once again guide them to a 9-8 or 10-7 record and make the playoffs.

The issue, however, is with Rodgers behind center, there's no real upside for the Steelers. The four-time MVP is strictly a floor raiser, and while they'll be competitive in 2026 if he's back in the fold, it won't help the organization in any meaningful way moving forward.

Pittsburgh essentially backed itself into a corner with Rodgers, allowing him to draw out his free agency process for a second-consecutive offseason despite a reunion between the two sides always seeming inevitable.

The franchise's best course of action would have been to allow Will Howard and rookie third-round pick Drew Allar split the reps throughout the offseason alongside Mason Rudolph all while battling it out for the starting job, but that plan won't come to fruition if Rodgers is around.

Nov 16, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Will Howard (18) warms up before a game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images | Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

Furthermore, the Steelers aren't going to gain enough of an understanding about the type of quarterbacks Howard and Allar can be, or eventually grow into, at the NFL level if they don't get a real shot to prove themselves in a game setting. Sure, they'll take a majority of the snaps during the preseason later this summer, but what is that really going to demonstrate?

Having Rodgers reunite with his former Green Bay Packers head coach in Mike McCarthy is an enticing scenario on paper, but in reality it's a temporary Band-Aid that's not going to accomplish anything of substance and is a move aimed at avoiding bottoming out and keeping the illusion of a true contender when there's no real hope of that being the case.

"Maybe Will Howard or Drew Allar ends up being the solution," Graziano wrote. "But if that happens, it won't be because the Steelers stretched to get them. Maybe the Steelers finally have a lousy season and find their solution at the top of the 2027 draft. But if that happens, it would be because their plan didn't work. For now, they're once again willing to wait on a 42-year-old who hasn't been a top-20 quarterback by QBR since 2021 because he's competent enough to keep them afloat."

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