Steelers Just Found Out Something Critical That Will Change Aaron Rodgers' Final Season

It’s no secret that Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, expected to play his final NFL season in 2026, will likely be finishing his career after this year. Rodgers teamed up with Mike Tomlin during the 2025 NFL season amid polarizing opinions that the Steelers had no business pursuing him. Despite the criticism, Tomlin and General Manager Omar Khan clearly felt that Rodgers, even at this stage of his career and on the verge of retirement, gave the Steelers their best chance to compete with an experienced veteran roster in a short-term championship window.

After the 2025 season ended, Khan promised fans that the Rodgers saga would not drag on the way it did the previous year. However, to no one’s surprise, the situation still took time to resolve before Rodgers ultimately confirmed his return to Pittsburgh for the 2026 season, this time under Head Coach Mike McCarthy, reuniting with the man he once won a Super Bowl with in Green Bay.

Following a 10–7 season and an AFC North title in 2025, many pundits are now trying to figure out what Rodgers will deliver in his final NFL season with the Steelers in 2026. NFL analyst Brian Baldinger, speaking with Jason La Canfora on The Daily Flock, Monday morning, shared a critical insight that could meaningfully change Rodgers’ final season in Pittsburgh for the better.

"I mean it all hinges in Pittsburgh on Aaron Rodgers," Baldinger said. "Can he stay healthy? Is he just going to get rid of the ball in 2.0 seconds? It is going to come out fast. He does not want to get hit anymore. They have continued to try and bolster the offensive line, not just for him, but to be able to run the ball better than they have. They have a lot of age on defense. It is a new way of doing things. It seems like it is a pretty clean slate with what Mike McCarthy has done."

During the 2025 NFL season, Rodgers showed that he can still deliver in big moments. The main concern, though, was that most of the time he was forced to throw the ball away extremely quickly because nothing was opening up downfield, and he wanted to avoid negative plays. 

In 2026, under new offensive line coach James Campen, things should be much better for Rodgers in terms of protection, along with improved coaching and more continuity on a young, growing, and talented offensive line.

"The offensive line coach, James Campen, is infinitely better than what they had," Baldinger said. "I think the coaching staff is better than what they have had. They have better targets and the offense should be much better."

During the 2025 season with the Steelers, Rodgers started 16 games, throwing for 3,322 yards, 24 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions, while adding 61 rushing yards and one touchdown. He performed better than most analysts expected, and now he will finish his career with one last ride in the Steel City.

Steelers Are Hopeful For Better Season In 2026 With Aaron Rodgers

Obviously, the opportunity for Rodgers, McCarthy, and this Steelers team is enormous. However, so is the pressure. With Rodgers making it clear that he is retiring after this season, many around the NFL view this as the final chance for the veteran-heavy Steelers roster to make a Super Bowl run. 

The expectation is that Rodgers can deliver better numbers with a better staff, better weapons, and a more complete all-around roster.

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