Heading into the 2026 season, Aaron Rodgers doesn’t have to prove anything to anyone. He has already established himself as one of the greatest quarterbacks in the league while securing a Super Bowl ring and multiple MVPs. But then again, if you look at Rodgers returning for his “Last Rodeo” at 42, while also reuniting with his former head coach Mike McCarthy, it makes you wonder: Why would Rodgers return, and what do the Pittsburgh Steelers expect from him?

Former NFL defensive lineman Gerald McCoy had admitted that anything short of a Super Bowl will not be good enough for Rodgers and Pittsburgh. As that went down, NFL analyst Chris Simms has now chimed in to reflect on Rodgers’ workload if the Steelers are really optimistic about hoisting their seventh Lombardi trophy. For that, Simms believes that Pittsburgh will need to reduce Rodgers’ burden.

“Quarterback is a hard position to play,” Simms said. “When you’re a 42-year-old, week after week after week, to play at the level you need to play at. So again, you hear me say this a lot. If they can spread the burden around, not make it all about Aaron Rodgers every week, that’s what gives them their chance.”

Simms’ assessment of the Steelers’ quarterback room carries significant weight, considering Rodgers will turn 43 during the 2026 season. The wear and tear week after week isn’t going to make things easier for the four-time MVP. Just take the 2025 season, for instance. After taking a beating at the beginning of the season, Rodgers started to rely on shorter passes throughout the season.

For a broader context, while Rodgers had one of the lower pressure rates among starting quarterbacks in 2025, he had the second-shortest time to throw in the league, averaging 2.59 seconds and trailing only Jared Goff. This offseason, however, the Steelers have implemented major changes on the offense. They’ve brought wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. to complement DK Metcalf and have drafted Germie Bernard.

At the same time, the Steelers are starting their first season in over half a century with an offensive-minded head coach. So, it won’t be wrong to say that the Steelers have reinforcements on offense for Rodgers. Still, Simms is concerned about wear and tear on Rodgers’ body week after week. For now, the Steelers have Will Howard and Drew Allar on the depth chart.

Earlier, ESPN’s Mina Kimes predicted that if Aaron Rodgers fails to find success this season, fans will begin calling for Howard to take over as the starter, especially as the pressure mounts toward the end of November and the beginning of December.

“My prediction is, in December, maybe around Thanksgiving, we’re going to hear this in the stands, ‘Howard! Howard! Howard!” Kimes said. “The Steelers in November to December, go Eagles, Broncos, Texans…And I think that’s when Rodgers… I think that the fans are gonna be really unhappy with the offensive output in those games. This is based on me doing a live pod in Pittsburgh, and we surveyed the crowd, and they were all begging for Will Howard.”

Howard is entering the second season of his NFL career, and the Steelers also need to plan for life after Aaron Rodgers at quarterback. So, while reducing Rodgers’ workload could help Pittsburgh become a Super Bowl contender, it could also allow the Steelers to continue developing Howard for the future.