"Might Be Tempted": Steelers Might Have Interesting Scenario Develop That Leads To Aaron Rodgers Being Benched

The Pittsburgh Steelers' best chance at competing in 2026 is with Aaron Rodgers under center as the starting quarterback. The other three on the roster are either inexperienced or a career backup. The 42-year-old is going to give it one last go-around, but the team still has questions facing the future at the most important position in all of football. Will Howard and Drew Allar have generated headlines; however, it's hard to say if either will end up being a formidable signal-caller at the professional level. The preseason will be huge for both players to prove themselves.

While Howard technically has one year of experience over Allar, he didn't play a snap, not even an exhibition one, during his rookie campaign in 2025. A hand injury in training camp prevented him from showing that, despite being a sixth-round pick, he has what it takes to lead the huddle one day. With Rodgers set to be the starter in 2026, the only meaningful snaps the second-year player is likely to get will be in August, barring an unforeseen injury.

Rodgers has always been known to be opinionated and demand respect from his teammates and coaches. That will be the case once again in 2026, but the Steelers are running a business. It's fair to wonder that a rough start to the year could trigger a change at the signal-caller spot. It would be relatively unprecedented given Rodgers' achievements, but it's not impossible.

Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette hosted a fan chat on Wednesday to discuss what is going on with the franchise as training camp nears. When asked about a specific scenario involving an under .500 collective in November, the insider wouldn't rule out the possibility of the staff actually benching the veteran in favor of Howard if need be.

"I don't think that will be the case, Bill. But, to indulge you, they might be tempted to use Howard," Dulac wrote.

A unit competing for a playoff spot would never put someone like Rodgers on the bench for a guy like Howard, especially due to the experience gaps between the duo. However, if there really isn't a path to the postseason because of poor play all around, it would make complete sense for the Steelers to want to get a very clear look at how Howard would handle himself in regular-season action. It seems unlikely, but it's not impossible, and that's something that is worth noting.

Rodgers is a first ballot Hall of Famer who would not take a liking to being benched in his final campaign as a professional. A lot would have to go wrong for the Steelers to even consider starting Howard; however, if the team ends up having a horrible start to the year, there will be a lot of talk about how Pittsburgh needs to focus on the future and not making a 42-year-old happy.

This scenario seems like one that wouldn’t occur because of the talent on the roster. There would have to be a plethora of injuries and flat out poor play for the Steelers not to at least be in the playoff discussion come November. That doesn't change the fact, though, that there will be a lot of noise surrounding the quarterback play if Rodgers isn't showing that he still has what it takes.

Steelers Could Actually Move On From Will Howard

While Howard is going to get every opportunity to become the backup signal-caller, poor training camp and preseason showings could actually lead him to being let go. In this situation, Mason Rudolph would remain as the second-stringer. The possibilities are endless, and one of them seems to be potentially Rodgers being benched at some point in time. While it is unlikely, it's not responsible to rule it out given the current setup of the depth chart.

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