The Pittsburgh Steelers are betting that one of the NFL’s oldest player still has enough left to make one final run. One of his biggest former rivals seems to believe that is possible, even if the reality is more complicated than it used to be.
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Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) during a regular season game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025 in Pittsburgh, PA.
Aaron Rodgers is no longer the same player who used to torment the NFC North every season. That version of Rodgers could move, extend plays, manipulate the pocket, and punish defenses with throws that very few quarterbacks would even attempt. However, Brian Urlacher still sees enough to believe Rodgers can be dangerous.
That matters because Urlacher is not just a random former player giving a soft compliment; he was one of the faces of the Chicago Bears for more than a decade and had a front-row seat for some of Rodgers’ best years with the Green Bay Packers. If anyone understands how frustrating Rodgers could be for a defense, Urlacher does.
The Hall of Fame linebacker recently spoke with R.org and gave a very honest evaluation of where Rodgers stands now.
“I still think Aaron can play when he’s healthy,” Urlacher said. “I have so much respect for him because of what he did when he was at his best. He’s a pain in the a** with his mobility and arm strength. He’s got a great arm and can still sling it. He doesn’t move as well. That’s just age. It happens to us when we get older, but they’re in a tough division.”
That quote sums up Pittsburgh’s entire Rodgers situation. The respect is still there. The arm talent is still there. The ability to make high-level throws is still there. The question is how much of the rest of his game can still hold up through a full season in the AFC North.
Rodgers is entering the 2026 season with a very specific challenge. He is not being asked to prove he is still the same player he was in Green Bay. That player is gone. Age, injuries, and time make that unavoidable. What the Steelers need is a version of Rodgers that can still manage games, create explosive plays, protect the ball, and give Pittsburgh a chance in January. That is a different standard, but it is still a demanding one.
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Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf sets up at the line of scrimmage while the team gets a work out in during 2025 training camp as fans watch the annual Friday Night Lights practice in Latrobe, PA.
Urlacher’s point about Rodgers not moving as well is important. Rodgers’ mobility was never just about rushing yards. It was about discomfort. He could slide away from pressure, reset his feet, and turn a covered play into a backbreaking completion. Defenses hated that because they could do most things right and still lose the down. That part of his game is harder now.
The Steelers will have to account for that. Mike McCarthy knows Rodgers better than almost any coach in football, but even he has to build around the 2026 version, not the prime version. That likely means structure, timing, protection, and making sure Rodgers does not have to carry the offense with constant off-script magic. That is where the rest of the roster becomes so important.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' Aaron Rodgers with the offense during a loss to the Green Bay Packers at home in 2025.
The Steelers have DK Metcalf as a true physical weapon, and Urlacher specifically mentioned his presence as part of the reason Pittsburgh can still find ways to get the ball moving. If Metcalf can win vertically and after the catch, Rodgers does not need to be perfect on every drive. He just needs to hit enough of the throws that still make him dangerous.
That is also why Pittsburgh’s offensive line matters so much. If Rodgers is not moving as well, the pocket has to be cleaner. The Steelers cannot ask him to constantly escape pressure and survive broken plays. They need the offense to function on schedule.
The Steelers have already heard confidence from former players about what Rodgers can still be. Ben Roethlisberger recently gave a strong outlook on why Rodgers could thrive more in McCarthy’s offense, especially with more familiarity and a better supporting cast. Urlacher’s comments add a different kind of weight because they come from the other side.
Steelers Need The Current Version of Aaron Rodgers To Be Enough
The biggest takeaway is not that Urlacher thinks Rodgers is still elite. It is that he thinks Rodgers can still play when healthy. That distinction matters. The Steelers do not need nostalgia. They need functionality. They need a quarterback who can still punish mistakes, handle late-game moments, and make defenses respect the entire field.
Rodgers’ final season will not be judged by memories from Green Bay. It will be judged by whether Pittsburgh can survive a brutal division and finally turn regular-season hope into postseason progress. Urlacher made it clear that the AFC North will not make that easy. Cincinnati still has Joe Burrow. Baltimore still has Lamar Jackson. Pittsburgh is trying to squeeze one more run out of one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time.
The Steelers know Rodgers is older. Urlacher knows it too. That does not mean he is finished. It just means Pittsburgh has to get the right version of him at the right time.
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