How will Aaron Rodgers do in return to Steelers? 🤔

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The Pittsburgh Steelers finally have a definitive answer about who will quarterback their team in 2026. The team has agreed to a one-year deal with Aaron Rodgers to extend their partnership into a second season, according to multiple reports.

News of Rodgers re-signing in Pittsburgh wasn't much of a surprise. While Rodgers initially indicated the 2025 NFL season would likely be his last, he seemed to change his tune about playing again as the season wore on.

Now, the 42-year-old will look to improve upon his 2025 campaign, during which he helped guide the Steelers to a 10-7 record and an AFC North title before losing in the wild-card round of the playoffs.

Rodgers was serviceable his first season in Pittsburgh, but his numbers indicated he operated largely as a game manager who focused on using the short passing game to move the chains. He ranked 21st among 33 qualified quarterbacks in EPA per dropback, per NFL Next Gen Stats, while Pro Football Focus graded him as the 27th-best quarterback among 38 qualifiers.

What can be expected of Rodgers in 2026? USA TODAY Sports' Nate Davis has Rodgers graded 21st among projected starting quarterbacks. Davis noted that the "leadership and efficient play" the veteran quarterback showcased in 2025 was "pretty much exactly what the Steelers expected" and that if Rodgers can repeat that performance, he could help the Steelers win a playoff game for the first time in a decade.

Rodgers' cause will also be helped by a couple of key additions to Pittsburgh's receiving corps. Veteran Michael Pittman Jr. and second-round rookie Germie Bernard will add some much-needed depth across from DK Metcalf. Pittman and Bernard profile as good separators too, which should suit Rodgers' tendency to rely on the quick passing game to move the chains.

It's still fair to question Rodgers' overall upside. He will turn 43 near the end of the 2026 NFL season and simply doesn't have his signature downfield passing ability of the prime of his career, during which he won four NFL MVP awards.

Even so, it's easy to understand why the Steelers decided to run it back with Rodgers. They didn't have a clear-cut path to an upgrade at the quarterback position, so keeping the veteran – who is very familiar with new coach Mike McCarthy – and focusing on developing Drew Allar and Will Howard behind him was a sensible path forward.

NFL RELEASES 2026 SCHEDULE 👀

Before Rodgers signed with the Steelers, the biggest news of the week was the NFL's schedule release. The league revealed its entire 272-game slate for the 2026 season on May 14, and some clubs got more beneficial draws than others.

Among them were the Dallas Cowboys, who Nate Davis argues have favorable path to the playoffs – and a potential 13-win season. Meanwhile, Tyler Dragon sees two teams that failed to make the playoffs last season – the Baltimore Ravens and Detroit Lions – as teams in good shape with the full slate of games released.

Meanwhile, yours truly has the Thanksgiving night meeting between the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs circled as one of the 10 must-see matchups of the 2026 NFL season. The same can be said of the Seattle Seahawks vs. New England Patriots Super Bowl 60 rematch, though that matchup was somewhat of a lackluster pick to kickstart the season.

To see the full winners and losers of the NFL schedule release, click here.

HOT READS 🎯

🏈 There's always at least one surprise in the opening week of the NFL season. Here's a look at the most likely upsets of Week 1 in 2026.

🏈 The Los Angeles Chargers drew a lot of attention for the Mike Vrabel-Dianna Russini jokes they included in their schedule release video, but the Las Vegas Raiders' "Step Brothers" parody with Fernando Mendoza and Kirk Cousins was the best of this year's bunch.

🏈 The NFL is bringing back its Accelerator program in 2026. Jarrett Bell breaks down the changes to the "reimagined" program under the shadow of the anti-DEI attacks – and a fresh investigative subpoena – spearheaded by Florida AG James Uthmeier.

🏈 TV executives will always love the package of NFL games their networks get to broadcast, but this is what executives across four outlets love the most about the 2026 NFL schedule.

‼️UFL UPDATE‼️

Here is your one-minute read of what's going on in the UFL:

• The Orlando Storm became the first UFL team to clinch a playoff berth in 2026 by virtue of their 31-24 win over the Dallas Renegades. Jack Plummer continues to be one of the league's best quarterbacks, and showed off his rushing skills with a 71-yard score against Dallas.
• The Louisville Kings beat the DC Defenders 33-30 after logging three interceptions and seeing Tyler Hudson log a 92-yard kick return touchdown. The Kings are in a tight battle with the Birmingham Stallions for control of the fourth and final playoff berth, with several other teams lurking for that spot over the season's final two weeks.

Be sure to check out the Sports Seriously NFL Vodcast featuring Joe Rivera, Chris Bumbaca and Jacob Camenker.