The Pittsburgh Steelers finally get a week off to rest up and prepare for the second half of the 2026 regular season. This gives them a chance to reset ahead of their divisional showdown on the road against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 10. They will be going for the season sweep, but will do so in a hostile environment. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers has done a great job of navigating through injuries to two of his wide receivers, Michael Pittman Jr. and Roman Wilson up to this point. Despite these injuries however, he is playing so well that it recently caught the attention of former Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.
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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.
The four-time NFL MVP and Super Bowl Champion decided to run it back one more season, as the franchise hired Mike McCarthy as their head coach to revive their offense this past offseason. Despite struggling to find consistency at times, the offense is still putting up a good deal of points even through the injuries at wide receiver. Now, the 42-year-old signal-caller is getting some attention from the most recent cornerstone at the position for the franchise.
On Tuesday, Roethlisberger hosted another episode of the Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger podcast to recap the Week 8 victory over the Cleveland Browns. During his recap, he decided to discuss the Steelers quarterback specifically. He is noticing one part of his game that has flown under the radar, but is impressing him so far through eight games played.
“I thought about [Aaron Rodgers] moving around, he’s moved around when he’s had to,” Roethlisberger said. “Aaron was much more of an elite runner with ability to escape than people gave him credit for early.”
That ability to escape is huge, especially considering the wide receiver position being so banged up currently. However, his ability to read defenses and pick them apart in his mind is also a big driving force in the success McCarthy's group has had to propel them to the top of the AFC North division through eight weeks of the 2026 NFL season. Their 6-2 record has them entering the bye week with a strong probability to make the playoffs again this season.
The veteran instincts in the experienced QB have paved the way for him to find his tight ends Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington with two of his wide receivers currently on Injured Reserve (IR). While the offense has still struggled to find consistency at times through eight games, they have done enough to come out on the winning end, especially because of their strong defensive showings. This is setting up to give Rodgers the chance to put a bow on his time in the Steel City after the 2026 campaign comes to a close.
Steelers Can Send Rodgers Out On High Note In Final NFL Season
The Steelers have a chance to send the four-time NFL MVP out on a high note, as he has said this will be his final season. The team is nearing a decade without a playoff victory, something many in the Steel City are craving to see. The circumstances surrounding this year's team have a strong chance to really come together at the right time to end that playoff win drought. This is especially true if they can get Wilson and Pittman back to really get the offense gelling.
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Steelers' Roman Wilson speaks with quarterback Aaron Rodgers before a road game against the New England Patriots in 2026.
Delivering even just a little bit of playoff success this year would set the tone for the start of McCarthy's tenure as the head coach in the Steel City. Many have felt that the franchise should get younger at the QB position and were against the 42-year-old coming back this season. However, he is now getting attention from people like Roethlisberger and can end his NFL career on a very high note.
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