Aaron Rodgers is back for a second season with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Not everyone is excited about that, though. Many people wanted the Steelers to move on from Rodgers, thinking that the quarterback is too old to rely on over the course of a full season. He turns 43 in early December, so that’s not a completely unwarranted concern. However, former NFL quarterback Cody Kessler believes that Rodgers will actually improve upon what he did in Pittsburgh last year.
“When it comes to the question of, can they have success with Aaron Rodgers and Mike McCarthy in Pittsburgh, I think they can,” Kessler said recently on The Arena podcast. “I actually think Aaron Rodgers is going to have a better year this year than he had last year with Arthur Smith because of the relationship with Mike McCarthy.
“Is Aaron Rodgers the same quarterback he was in Green Bay all those years ago? No, absolutely not. But they did win a Super Bowl together, and that carries a lot of weight. And they’ve spent a lot of time with one another, and they had a lot of success together. They can lean on that experience while they build this roster in Pittsburgh.”
Rodgers threw for 3,322 yards, 24 touchdowns, and seven interceptions in 16 games in 2025. Those numbers are all lower compared to what he did with the New York Jets in 2024. However, Arthur Smith’s scheme heavily relies on the run game, and Rodgers had nearly 100 less attempts in 2025 than in 2024.
Rodgers and McCarthy were last together in 2018, and the former threw for 4,442 yards, 25 touchdowns, and two interceptions. Is he likely to hit those same highs this year in Pittsburgh? Probably not, but perhaps he can recapture some of that efficiency.
The Steelers shouldn’t ask Rodgers to carry their offense. He can’t operate on that level anymore. However, if he can keep his interceptions low and help the Steelers move the ball more, then perhaps their offense will be better in 2026.
That unit already looks better on paper than it did last year. Michael Pittman Jr. and Germie Bernard are upgrades at wide receiver, and Rico Dowdle should be able to lessen the loss of Kenneth Gainwell.
Most quarterbacks tend to fall off pretty hard after turning 40 years old. While Rodgers hasn’t escaped Father Time, his arm strength has not waned. The key will be consistency. Rodgers and McCarthy were a formidable duo in the past. We’ll see if they can recapture that magic with the Steelers.