While Aaron Rodgers remains silent on his future, one NFL franchise could be realizing it might not need him back. As the four-time MVP considers whether he will play in a potential 22nd season in the NFL, the world moves on. Even though glimpses suggest there is something left in his tank, veteran NFL insider Albert Breer is now discussing the harsh reality.

“I don’t think that the NFL needs Rogers the same way that maybe it did two or three years ago.” Albert Breer told Conor Orr on Sports Illustrated’s video segment. “They’re in a really good spot from that perspective.”

Rodgers was once untouchable, but now, the veteran finds himself fighting time. Excluding his sidelined 2023 season, his 3,322 passing yards last year were his lowest since 2017, while his QBR has slipped into the mid-40s after hovering in the 70s in the early 2020s.

At the moment, the former Green Bay Packers quarterback is a free agent after his one-year, $13.65 million deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers came to an end this offseason. He hasn’t officially announced whether he’ll return or retire at age 42, and there’s no confirmation about his next team.

As Aaron Rodgers weighs his future, the situation mirrors that of Brett Favre, another Packers legend who faced similar doubts late in his career. After leaving Green Bay, Favre bounced between the New York Jets and Minnesota Vikings, with the league constantly questioning how much he had left.

There’s a chance he follows last year’s pattern and makes his decision after the NFL Draft, with added incentive as his ex-head coach, Mike McCarthy (who Rodgers won a Super Bowl with), now in charge of the Steelers. Breer and Orr also talked about his tendency to take his time, but both believe he’ll be back.

“I still think Aaron Rodgers is going to play this year,” Breer said. “That’s just my opinion, but I look at how they’ve built the team. I look at how much he enjoyed playing last year, which I think is a huge factor. He really enjoyed being around his teammates and football, which is exactly what he was seeking after his time with the Jets didn’t work out.”

Before joining Pittsburgh for the 2025 season, Rodgers spent two years with the New York Jets. Breer pointed out that the situation now is different from when the Jets needed Rodgers as a headline player.

“I don’t think the NFL needs to put Rodgers and the Steelers on the marquee the same way they needed to put Rodgers and the Jets on the marquee two years ago.”

Whatever the opinion might be, Aaron Rodgers has built a remarkable legacy. Across an extraordinary 21-year NFL career, he has completed 65.1% of his passes for 66,274 yards and 527 passing touchdowns, with a 102.2 passer rating.

While his future remains uncertain, some experts still believe he’ll return to Pittsburgh for another year, including one veteran ESPN analyst.

ESPN analyst predicts Aaron Rodgers-Steelers reunion for 2026

While some Pittsburgh Steelers fans may not love the idea of a reunion with Aaron Rodgers, one ESPN analyst sees it differently.

Bill Barnwell, who closely follows the Steelers’ quarterback situation, believes bringing Rodgers back is the clearest option, especially after several quarterbacks like Kyler Murray, Tua Tagovailoa, Geno Smith, and Justin Fields have already changed teams this offseason.

“The Steelers could go after Kirk Cousins or Jimmy Garoppolo, but a reunion with Rodgers seems inevitable,” Barnwell wrote. “It’s worth noting that the long run of Rodgers with McCarthy in Green Bay ended with Rodgers struggling, McCarthy fired, and the future Hall of Famer winning back-to-back MVPs after his veteran coach was replaced by Matt LaFleur. But both sides have had positive things to say about the other since then. Rodgers did just enough to propel the Steelers into the postseason a year ago by protecting the football, and that should be what McCarthy wants from his quarterback in 2026.”

In 2025, Rodgers put up solid numbers last season with 3,322 yards and 24 touchdowns. Still, age remains a concern, and Pittsburgh needs to think about a long-term solution. Before Philip Sanders unretired for the Indianapolis Colts at 44 late last year, Rodgers was the oldest quarterback in the NFL in 2025, and if he returns, he’ll most probably retain that veteran title.

The team currently has Will Howard and Mason Rudolph as possible starters if Rodgers doesn’t return, but the position still needs to be strengthened.

The draft may not provide much help either. The top two quarterback prospects are already expected to be gone, and there isn’t another option considered worthy of a first-round pick with a projected weak QB class for 2026.

With ongoing questions at quarterback and issues along the offensive line, the Steelers still have a lot to figure out, but for now, a Rodgers return remains a strong possibility.