Aaron Rodgers last season in NFL (Image via Getty)
Aaron Rodgers confirmed what most people already suspected: 2026 is it. The 42-year-old quarterback, now back in Pittsburgh for a second straight year, signed a one-year deal to reunite with head coach Mike McCarthy, the same man who helped him win a Super Bowl ring in Green Bay back in 2011. It’s whether this version of the Steelers can actually give him what he’s been waiting 15 years for. Just four snaps into his Jets debut in 2023, Aaron Rodgers tore his left Achilles tendon. He came back the following year, but the Jets finished 5-12 and missed the playoffs for the 14th straight year.
Four MVPs, one championship, and an Achilles tear later, Rodgers is chasing history one final time. The question isn’t whether he belongs. The New York chapter was painful to watch. Two seasons, nothing to show for it. Pittsburgh was supposed to be a fresh start.
In 16 games for the Steelers in 2025, Rodgers completed 65.7 percent of his passes for 3,322 yards, 24 touchdowns and seven interceptions, leading Pittsburgh to a 10-6 record. He was sacked four times and held to just 17 completions in a bruising 30-6 wild card loss to the Houston Texans. Pittsburgh traded for wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. and signed running back Rico Dowdle, while also selecting Alabama wide receiver Germie Bernard in the second round of the 2026 NFL draft. DK Metcalf caught 59 of his 99 targets for 850 yards and six touchdowns in 15 starts in 2025, and now he has a reliable running mate alongside him. Oddsmakers have set Pittsburgh’s win total at Over/Under 8.5 games, with a 40.4% chance of reaching the postseason according to SportsLine’s projection model. McCarthy went 125-77 with Green Bay with Rodgers as his primary quarterback. The most honest way to frame this season is this: Rodgers is 42, playing behind an offensive line that has its own questions, in a conference that still has Patrick Mahomes sitting at the top. Pittsburgh’s Super Bowl odds sit at +7500, unchanged after Rodgers re-signed. He came back from a torn Achilles at 40. For Rodgers, Pittsburgh in 2026 represents something cleaner than anything his Jets years offered. Stay updated with the latest Asian Games 2026 news , check the Asian Games medal tally and complete Asian Games schedule .
But the postseason told a different story. I don’t see why you wouldn’t,” he said when asked about wanting the veteran quarterback on his team. “There’s definitely a full-circle aspect to it that piqued my interest,” he said.
And to an extent, it was. That’s a solid quarterback season by most standards. Not the ending anyone wanted. Now, with McCarthy running the show and the roster upgraded, things look different. That’s a legitimate receiving group. McCarthy made no secret of his desire to have Rodgers back at his introductory press conference: “Definitely. That kind of public backing matters. Rodgers performs best when he feels trusted, and this setup gives him exactly that. Those numbers are not exactly inspiring for a team with championship ambitions. But here’s what the numbers miss: Rodgers has always been at his best with a familiar system, a head coach he trusts, and weapons who can run clean routes. They built something real together. Rodgers himself acknowledged the pull of it. “I had a good conversation with Mike going back to when he was hired and it’s nice to come back. The market doesn’t believe this is a contender, at least not yet. Join conversation Share your thoughts in the comments Be respectful · TOI community guidelines But Rodgers has spent his whole career defying reasonable expectations. He sat behind Brett Favre for three years, then became one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game. His retirement will close the book on a generation of passers that includes Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Ben Roethlisberger. That’s the company he keeps. This season isn’t just a victory lap. He knows this system. He trusts this coach. And for the first time in a long time, the roster around him actually reflects the seriousness of the mission. Whether it ends with a second ring or not, Rodgers is going out on his own terms. Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.