Aaron Rodgers’ arrival in Pittsburgh has all the makings of a storybook homecoming. On June 8, 2025, the NFL world tuned in as the four-time MVP inked a one-year deal worth $13.65 million with the Steelers. Initially, Pittsburgh had set its sights on Matthew Stafford and was even considering bringing back Justin Fields. But when those plans fell through, Rodgers emerged as the unexpected—yet promising—answer under center. Following a pursuit that quietly began back in March, the Steelers have finally landed their man. Now signed and suited up, Rodgers isn’t just making a late-career pit stop—he’s stepping into a role that feels steeped in tradition.

With plans to pass down two decades of wisdom, Rodgers is embracing more than just a new team; he’s embracing legacy. And behind the scenes, the guiding hand of his former coach, the legendary Mike McCarthy, played a key role in making it all happen. Aaron Rodgers’ 2024 campaign with the Jets ended on a sour note. Despite putting up respectable numbers—28 touchdowns to 11 interceptions—the team stumbled to a 5–12 record, once again falling short of the playoffs. Now, Rodgers is looking forward to the upcoming season. He is using his offseason and training along with DK Metcalf, in hopes of taking the Steelers to the playoffs for the 2025 season.

But Mike Florio feels that Rodgers shouldn’t be given a new contract if he outperforms this season. While speaking on the NFL on NBC show on YouTube, he said, ‘And, I also think that if they get to the Super Bowl close to it, we could have another Aaron Rodgers year. And to Steelers fans, I would say go back and look at what the Vikings did the year after the first Brett Favre year. The second Brett Favre year, not nearly as good. And you got to ask yourself if you catch lightning in a bottle for that one year and everything works out. That’s not reason enough to run it back because there’s a chance it’s not going to be as good.” 

In his first year with the Vikings, NFL legend Brett Favre had a phenomenal season where he led his team to a 12-4 record and the NFC Championship game. While he only had 7 interceptions, this was the year that helped him achieve career-high rankings in completion percentage (68.4%) and passer rating (107.2). He also completed 343 passes for 4,202 yards, 33 touchdowns in his first year with the team. And then came the dreadful second year marked by one of Favre’s worst career dips, as the Vikings fell to a 3-7 record. Whereas a sprained shoulder and a concussion that he had suffered in a game against the Bears, when he was slammed to the ground by Corey Wootton, also added more to his growing pains.

41-year-old Rodgers, as of now, is only focused on the upcoming season rather than on a long-term goal. He’s already sharing his experience with rookie QB Will Howard for the upcoming season. Howard is also excited to work with one of the legends of the sport and said, “He’s been awesome to me so far. Aaron has been so willing to help me. He’s like, ‘Literally, as much or as little as you want me to help you, I’ll be there.’” So, what really happens if Rodgers is able to put on an outstanding individual performance in the upcoming 2025 season? Will he get a new contract again? Chris Carter feels we might just see the 41-year-old feature again in a Steelers jersey for the next season.

Aaron Rodgers needs to deliver an MVP performance this year, feels Carter

Aaron Rodgers arrived in New York with echoes of Brett Favre’s journey, carrying the weight of expectation and a mission to bring the Jets back to glory. But fate had other plans. His 2023 season was over before it even began, cut short by injury in the very first game. By 2024, the optimism had faded. As interceptions piled up and the Jets struggled, questions swirled—was the magic of the old Packers days gone for good? A disappointing 5–12 finish only deepened the doubts. It looked like the end of the road. And while the iconic long-haired version might not be making a comeback. Chris Carter feels Rodgers now has a chance to close his legendary career on a high note.

On the June 23 episode of the Locked on Steelers podcast, Chris Carter turned his focus to the 2026 draft. As the veteran QB embarks on this one-year stint with the Steelers, the big question looms: What would it take for Rodgers to return for another season? Carter dove into the possibilities, weighing the factors that could influence whether this is a farewell tour or the beginning of an unexpected encore. He said, It would take him playing really well, the Steelers playing really well, those two things meshing, and him saying, ‘Hey, you know what? I want to run this back.’ And the team saying, ‘You know what? We’d like to run it back with you, but we’re also still getting that quarterback next year because that is the ultimate plan.” 

For Rodgers to earn another year in Pittsburgh, he’ll need to channel the magic of his MVP days. If everything clicks this season, there’s a real shot we could see A-Rod suit up in black and gold again in 2026. But make no mistake—he’s not the long-term answer. His role is to steady the ship, not to captain it for the next decade. The QB spot is the trickiest to fix in the NFL. But Rodgers, at the moment, is here to throw darts, not coach (at least, not yet), and guide the young guns around his team. However, it will be interesting to see if he can feature again for the same team in the upcoming season or not.