The Aaron Rodgers situation with the Pittsburgh Steelers remains in a shroud of mystery. Last season, he led the team to a surprising AFC North title, the franchise’s first divisional title in five years. Yet, they ranked 25th overall in terms of offense. As the offseason progresses, not everyone seems convinced that bringing back a 42-year-old veteran is the right move for Pittsburgh.

In fact, some league experts have begun to argue that Aaron Rodgers no longer poses the same threat to elite AFC defenses. ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky is one of the leading voices in this camp. The former NFL QB hasn’t held back in questioning the logic of the move.

“I think, with Aaron as their starting quarterback, they [Pittsburgh Steelers] are a fringe playoff team,” said Orlovsky on the Pat McAfee Show. “I think they’re a 9-win team with Aaron… And I get it because there’s Cam Heyward and TJ Watt and Jalen Ramsey… obviously two longtime Steeler veterans, Hall of Famers, all three of them, they want to win now. And so for this team, this 2026 version, the best thing is to have a quarterback as good as Aaron playing. But for the organization, it’s not, because you’re just going to be picking at 20 again.”

Orlovsky’s thoughts do indicate that with Rodgers on the roster, the Steelers would continue being a mediocre roster. While they might make the playoffs, he just would not have enough to take them over the line in postseason games, and proof of that was available last season.

In 2025, the star QB was incredibly efficient as he completed 65.7% of his passes and threw for 24 touchdowns against just seven interceptions.

Despite playing well in the regular season, he was disappointing in the team’s 30-6 loss to the Houston Texans in the Wild Card round. He went 17-33 with his passes and also had a fumble and an interception in the game, which made things worse for the Steelers.

The Steelers drafted Howard in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft following his legendary stint at Ohio State. He led the Ohio State Buckeyes to a National Championship by completing 73% of his passes, while racking up over 4,000 passing yards and recording 35 touchdowns.

Head coach Mike McCarthy, in an unusual move, chose to name Drew Allar the only quarterback at the Steelers’ rookie minicamp over the weekend. This shows there is already a lot of promise in the Steelers QB room, although experience could be an issue without their veteran.

This indicates that while the team would appreciate Rodgers back, they are doing their best to keep the QB room ready in case he decides against returning or even retires.

Aaron Rodgers is in Pittsburgh, But Has Not Met the Steelers Yet 

This is the second year in a row that the team has waited on Rodgers to make a decision. This year, fans and the front office expected things to be different. It even looked like everything got settled, especially after reports that a visit was in the works to get a contract signed. However, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette insider Gerry Dulac has now dropped a reality check on the situation.

“Aaron Rodgers has been in town for a couple days. But the Steelers have not met with him yet and instead have been talking with his agent,” Dulac has reported. “Rodgers has stayed away from the team’s South Side facility while the three-day rookie minicamp has been going on.”

Despite the optimism from the front office, Rodgers remains in a holding pattern. As per reports, he had been practicing at home while talks with the franchise continue. The situation has been exacerbated by fears of locker room tensions due to the ongoing uncertainty.

Even though Rodgers is physically in Pittsburgh, nothing seems confirmed officially until there is a deal on the table.  These next few days are absolutely critical for both sides. For the Steelers, securing Rodgers would provide a stabilizing force in the team’s offense. For Rodgers, it’s a chance to return to his winning ways alongside Mike McCarthy, a coach with whom he has already won a Super Bowl.