For the first time since 2020-2021, the Pittsburgh Steelers will go into the season with the same starting quarterback for two straight seasons. Aaron Rodgers signed his one-year, $25 million contract, which constitutes a significant raise over last season for the 42-year-old.
Obviously, the Steelers re-signed Rodgers to win games. New head coach Mike McCarthy and General Manager Omar Khan brought in wide receivers Michael Pittman Jr. and Germie Bernard along with running back Rico Dowdle in the offseason to bolster an offense that struggled in 2025. So if you rationale for Rodgers failure to get the Steelers deep in the playoffs was the supporting cast, that doesn’t apply here.
But for everything Rodgers will do on gameday, his most important role this season might be as a mentor to young quarterbacks Drew Allar and Will Howard. Rodgers made it clear he isn’t going to run it back for a third time, so everything that happens this season must be done with an eye to the future. We are hopeful that Rodgers can work hand in hand with McCarthy and help the team sort out their future at the position.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Mentoring young Steelers QBs could be Aaron Rodgers’ biggest impact in 2026