Aaron Rodgers enters the 2026 NFL season with a fresh head coach, a new setup in Pittsburgh, and a ranking that says a lot about where his game stands now.
FanSided released its quarterback rankings on Wednesday, and Rodgers landed 20th out of 93 quarterbacks with an overall score of 7.52 out of 12. That placed him in a tier by himself labeled “Solid Starter,” just behind a group of 11 passers in the “Strong QB1” tier.
The names above him tell the story. Caleb Williams (9.38), Jordan Love (9.32), Trevor Lawrence (9.30), Jayden Daniels (9.24), and Jared Goff (9.20) all finished ahead of him in that upper tier.
Rodgers was also sandwiched between C.J. Stroud at No. 19 with an 8.50 grade and Kyler Murray at No. 21 with a 7.46 mark.
Murray fell into the “Game Manager” category alongside Daniel Jones, Cam Ward, Jaxson Dart, Bryce Young, and Tyler Schough. Rodgers came close to landing there himself, missing that tier by less than a tenth of a point. Instead, FanSided placed him as a “solid starter” after what it saw from him last season.
That’s the uncomfortable part for Pittsburgh. The Steelers are preparing to host the Atlanta Falcons in Week 1, and Mike McCarthy is trying to chase playoff success in his first season as head coach. But the ceiling of this team is tied to Rodgers, and this ranking suggests that ceiling may not be very high.
Rodgers still has traits that keep him afloat. He doesn’t have the same play-extending burst he once did, and he’s no longer the kind of quarterback who wants to sit in the pocket forever.
Even so, he still brings a big arm, can work through progressions, and can fit throws into tight windows. Those traits helped him post 3,322 passing yards, 24 touchdowns, and seven interceptions in 16 games last season.
The top of the rankings was packed with familiar heavyweights. Josh Allen (11.40), Patrick Mahomes (11.34), and Matthew Stafford (11.04) sat in FanSided’s “Truly Elite” tier, followed by AFC North rivals Lamar Jackson (11.02) and Joe Burrow (10.92). In all, seven of the top eight quarterbacks in the rankings came from the AFC.
That backdrop makes Rodgers’ placement feel even starker. In a conference loaded with top-end quarterback talent, the Steelers are working with a 42-year-old passer who looks more like a steady option than a game-changing one. A reunion with McCarthy could give Rodgers a small bump, but based on where he stands now, Pittsburgh has to hope for competent more than spectacular in what Rodgers says will be his final NFL season.
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