Aaron Rodgers is back in Pittsburgh for one last ride, and that alone gives the Steelers a very different kind of season to manage. They’ve got the veteran quarterback for a year, Mike McCarthy is in as the new coach, and the front office has already invested in the offensive line to help Rodgers deliver even more than he did last year. That matters because last year was hardly a disaster - Pittsburgh finished first in the AFC North - but the real pressure point is what comes next.
This season is about more than just chasing another division title or a deeper playoff run. It could also determine how soon the Steelers have to make a call at quarterback once Rodgers is gone.
In a Thursday piece for ESPN, Dan Graziano laid out quarterback projections for the upcoming season and beyond, with the draft factored into the picture. His read on Pittsburgh centers on the fact that the team knows Rodgers’ stint is a one-year deal, which gives McCarthy a chance to spend the season evaluating Will Howard and Drew Allar as possible pieces of the post-Rodgers plan.
If Rodgers plays at a high level, the Steelers can let the year run its course and head into the next season with Allar, Howard or another quarterback they add to the mix. But if Rodgers falls off, Pittsburgh may be pushed into a tougher, earlier decision than expected, with the possibility of turning to Allar or Howard before the year is over. Allar, after all, turned heads in the Steelers’ first preseason game, so the idea isn’t out of nowhere.
Graziano’s bottom line is that Rodgers should still be productive enough to keep the Steelers winning. He expects Pittsburgh to have a shot at the playoffs, and he puts it this way: "Rodgers rides off into the sunset," he says, "and the Steelers are left to evaluate Allar, Howard and potential 2027 draft picks as their long-term solution."
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