The Pittsburgh Steelers waited patiently for a final answer from Aaron Rodgers about his playing status for the 2026 NFL season.
Finally, on Sunday, the question was answered. Rodgers has decided to return for at least one more season with the Steelers. He has signed a one-year contract worth over $20 million.
Pittsburgh badly needed Rodgers to run it back in 2026. Should he have decided to leave town or retire, the Steelers would have been in major trouble at the quarterback position.
Last season, the future Hall of Famer played in 16 games. He completed 65.7 percent of his pass attempts for 3,322 yards, 24 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. Those numbers show that Rodgers still has plenty of good football left in the tank.
That being said, Pittsburgh will need to figure out what the future holds after Rodgers. One former NFL executive has spoken out and weighed in on the situation.
Former NFL Exec Weighs in on Steelers’ Future After Aaron Rodgers
While the Steelers didn’t have a great starting option for 2026 outside of Rodgers, they may have their quarterback of the future on the roster already.
“I think Drew Allar is going to be their guy,” the former executive said.
“They were very high on him leading up to the draft. Just a couple of years ago, Allar was one of the top up-and-coming star quarterbacks in college. I think the Steelers believe that he can be their guy to take over from Aaron (Rodgers).”
He also weighed in on Will Howard as a potential option.
“On the other hand, if Allar doesn’t show the development they want to see, Mike McCarthy has liked what he has seen in Will Howard. They feel good about their two young guys.”
A Quick Look at What Drew Allar Brings to the Table
Back in 2024 with Penn State, Allar completed 66.5 percent of his passes fro 3,327 yards, 24 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. He also ran for 302 yards and six more touchdowns.
Last season, things did not go according to plan for the young quarterback. He played in just six games before going down with a season-ending injury. Allar threw for 1,100 yards, eight touchdowns, and three interceptions, completing 64.8 percent of his passes.
Bleacher Report dropped an NFL comparison for Allar before the 2026 NFL Draft. Their opinion is that Allar is shades of Joe Flacco with Daniel Jones’ arm talent.
It will be interesting to see what the 2026 season has in store for the Steelers. Allar will have a year to develop and learn from the sidelines. Meanwhile, Rodgers will be trying to come back and lead Pittsburgh on a deep playoff run.
Like HEAVY’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
The post Steelers’ Plans After Aaron Rodgers Receive Major Update appeared first on HEAVY.