The Pittsburgh Steelers have been handed a stark warning ahead of Aaron Rodgers’ final NFL season.
Rodgers confirmed that 2026 would be his last in the league, bringing an end to his legendary career.
The 42-year-old is widely considered to be one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, and is running it back with the Steelers in 2026.
In 2025, Rodgers threw for 3,322 yards with 24 touchdowns to seven interceptions, not quite career-bests, but certainly still QB1 worthy.
Former NFL quarterback Matt Hasslebeck gave some interesting advice to Rodgers ahead of his final season.
“I think he’s gonna do really well, as long as he has learned from his mistakes when he was with the New York Jets,” Hasselbeck said.
“I think you’ve got to change how you play as you get older. You can’t be Michael Jordan anymore.
“I think you’ve gotta be a little more point guard, distributor...His arm can probably play for 10 more years.
“But I don’t think his body is as elusive. I think he needs to change the style of play.
“Sometimes you’ve got to humble yourself and allow yourself to be coached, even when you’re one of the greatest of all time.”
Rodgers led 10-6 Pittsburgh to the playoffs, but a poor wild card performance ended Super Bowl dreams early – and resulted in Mike Tomlin’s resignation.
Pittsburgh also hired former Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy, who will be reunited with his quarterback for one last championship attempt, but it won’t be easy.
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The Steelers have fallen in the Wild Card round of the playoffs five times since 2020 — the only exception being when they didn’t make it in 2022.
Former Steelers safety Ryan Clark believes the hype surrounding Rodgers’ last season won’t change the familiar limits for Pittsburgh.
“The ceiling for this team is what we’ve been seeing the last few years, right?” Clark said.
“Aaron Rodgers could get this team to nine wins or ten wins, and you maybe sneak into the playoffs or you’re fighting for a wild card.
“This team offensively still has holes. This team, from a defensive standpoint, has to get better at the linebacker position.
“They’ll be home by the Divisional Round thinking to themselves, ‘Are we stuck in quarterback purgatory, or is our next guy in the draft in 2027?’ “
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Behind Rodgers on the depth chart sits Will Howard, Mason Rudolph and third-round pick Drew Allar.
The Steelers could turn to one of the hurlers in the stacked 2027 quarterback class that includes Arch Manning and Dante Moore.
Alternatively, they could turn to one of the free-agents, with names like Mac Jones being available – once again opting not to put the franchise’s trust in the hands of a draft pick.
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