Aaron Rodgers has made clear that the 2026 NFL season will be the final chapter of his Hall of Fame-worthy career, one year after saying he was “pretty sure” the 2025 season would be his last.
His retirement will close a prolific passing era that included Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Eli Manning, Drew Brees, Ben Roethlisberger, Philip Rivers, Russell Wilson, Matt Ryan and Cam Newton. That group followed Dan Marino, Steve Young, Brett Favre, John Elway and Troy Aikman in helping push NFL offenses to higher production and wider popularity.
Before Rodgers exits, he has one more season with the Steelers. He helped Pittsburgh win a division title in his first year in black and gold, but the offense never found steady form and the season ended with a wild card playoff loss to the Houston Texans.
Rodgers Gets More Time In McCarthy’s Offense
Rodgers did not sign with the Steelers until minicamp last year, leaving him without real snaps with teammates until training camp. This time, he settled his plans earlier and took part in OTAs and minicamp.
That gave Rodgers time to reconnect with Mike McCarthy’s offense and work with new pieces including Rico Dowdle, Michael Pittman and rookie Germie Bernard. Instead of building from scratch at camp, Pittsburgh used OTAs to lay a foundation for the season.
McCarthy’s arrival also changes the Steelers’ profile. Pittsburgh had been defined by continuity under Mike Tomlin, who spent 19 years as head coach and oversaw the longest non-losing seasons streak in NFL history before stepping away one day after the 2025 season ended.
Unlike Tomlin, Bill Cowher and Chuck Noll, McCarthy is an offense-first coach with prior NFL head-coaching success. He won a Super Bowl with the Packers and later had three consecutive 12-win seasons in Dallas.
McCarthy’s first seasons at previous stops were uneven. Green Bay went 8-8 before a 13-3 second season, and Dallas went 6-10 before three straight 12-5 campaigns. Rodgers’ command of McCarthy’s system could help reduce that adjustment period in Pittsburgh.
Steelers Add Targets And Depth Around Rodgers
The Steelers strengthened their receiving group with Pittman and Bernard, giving Rodgers more options alongside DK Metcalf. Pittsburgh did not retain Kenneth Gainwell, who was a Rodgers favorite and the team’s MVP in 2025, but replaced him with Dowdle.
Dowdle is trying to become the first player in NFL history with three consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons for three different teams. Jaylen Warren also returns after career highs of 958 rushing yards and 1,291 all-purpose yards.
The offensive line added Brock Hoffman, who played for McCarthy in Dallas, and rookies Max Iheanachor and Gennings Dunker. With Broderick Jones’ status uncertain, Troy Fautanu is positioned to play left tackle, his college spot, while Dylan Cook replaces him on the left side. Zach Frazier remains the anchor inside and another Rodgers favorite.
Pittsburgh Defense Still Built Around Pass Rush
The Steelers’ defensive identity again starts with the rush group of T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, Nick Herbig and Jack Sawyer. Herbig signed a lucrative extension this offseason.
Cam Heyward still anchors the line, while the secondary is led by perennial Pro Bowler Jalen Ramsey, who is returning to cornerback after time at safety last season, and Joey Porter Jr.
The secondary still has questions, with new starters Jaquan Brisker and Jamel Dean joining DeShon Elliott, who is coming back from injury. Pittsburgh’s inside linebackers are also under review, especially Patrick Queen as he enters the final year of his contract.
Special teams remain a strength with Chris Boswell, one of the NFL’s top kickers for years. Pittsburgh also drafted Kaden Wetjen, whose six combined return touchdowns set an Iowa record.