More Detailed Report Of How Steelers Currently Feel About Aaron Rodgers Comes To The Surface

The Pittsburgh Steelers are once again frustrating their fan base by allowing Aaron Rodgers to take his time on a decision. This was supposedly supposed to be figured out by the new league year, and that has not been the case. It's even more frustrating with the fact that no other team has any interest in him, but Pittsburgh is still so infatuated with him that it will give him as much time as he needs yet again. This could end up dragging on into June again, or maybe even later than that. 

The Steelers feel even more justified in their decision to wait than they did in the 2025 offseason. In his latest column, Gerry Dulac explained why the front office feels so strongly about getting the 42-year-old back.

"[The Steelers] don’t have any of the same doubts that might have existed last year about whether Rodgers had anything left in his 42-year-old tank," Dulac wrote. "He convinced them otherwise when he threw 24 touchdowns, had just seven interceptions, led them to a division title and missed only one game with an injury (broken wrist). That despite having the fewest pass attempts when he’s played at least 16 games in his career."

The Steelers watched as Rodgers played a very safe, conservative style of quarterback in 2025. He got the ball out quickly and somewhat accurately while limiting turnovers. Pittsburgh believes it has a great roster, so it doesn't need an elite quarterback to get the team where it wants to go. It just needs a capable passer that can complement everyone else and keep the collective in games on a regular basis. 

Rodgers had a 65.7% completion percentage in 2025, which is a touch above his career average. They team seemed happy with his career lows in yards per attempt and yards per completion, as that allowed him to keep the ball out of harm's way. His football IQ was Pittsburgh's biggest draw to the quarterback in the first place, so the franchise still trusts him whenever he does want to take a deep shot and try to stretch the field more. 

The flip side of that argument is an obvious one. With those career lows, that may not be him playing it safe; that might be his age showing. Instead of standing in the pocket and waiting for plays to develop, he tends to check the ball down quickly if the first option is not available. That's why Kenneth Gainwell had 73 receptions on 85 targets despite being the backup running back. That is not the recipe for success.

Steelers Are Very Confident In Free Agent Moves

On top of the fact that the Steelers reportedly love Rodgers even more, their offseason approach was definitely more realistic. Instead of assembling aging veterans, they went for quality contributors who fit the Steelers' philosophy. They got a bargain on Michael Pittman Jr., who will get the chance to thrive now that defenses won't be focusing on removing him from the equation. 

The defense was full of veteran reinforcements, but not from players who have shown signs of decline yet. Jamel Dean can be the perfect complement at outside cornerback to help limit those big plays while Sebastian Joseph-Day can be the big-time run-stopper that the Steelers have desperately needed for years. 

Not only do the Steelers feel more confident in Rodgers, but they believe that the team around him is much better. That will allow the veteran to take his time more and process plays like they know he can, as opposed to just hoping Gainwell can gain very well on a check-down. That is why they are so willing to stand pat and let him take his time, for better or worse.

What do you think about the Steelers having more confidence in Rodgers' play after the 2025 season? Let us know on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.

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