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Jan 12, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) warms up before an AFC Wild Card Round game against the Houston Texans at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

How Aaron Rodgers Retiring Could Actually Help Saints

Originally posted on New Orleans Saints on SI
By Patrick McAvoy | Last updated Feb 26, 2026 3:00 PM ET

The New Orleans Saints are set at quarterback with Tyler Shough firmly planted as the team's starter. New Orleans is in a good place and fortunately, there are other teams out there with more questions at the game's most important position.

The more teams with quarterback questions the better for New Orleans right now because of the fact that Derek Carr has indicated that he would come out of retirement for the right opportunity. Carr has said himself he's open to a return in the right scenario, but the buzz picked up on Wednesday night because NFL insider Jordan Schultz shared on X that after speaking to teams, the belief out there is that Carr is "very serious" about a potential return in the right situation.

Saints insider Matthew Paras of The Times-Picayune and The Advocate shared an update on Carr in the aftermath and one nugget that stood out was that he mentioned that if Aaron Rodgers were to retire, the Pittsburgh Steelers would appear to be a "potential landing spots."

The Saints should be hoping Aaron Rodgers retires

"The New Orleans Saints would not be among those shocked to see Carr put back on his cleats for 2026. And while that’s still not guaranteed, the buzz around Carr continued to get louder after NFL Insider Jordan Schultz reported that Carr is 'very serious' about un-retiring," Paras wrote. "Carr, who played two seasons with the Saints before retiring last offseason with a shoulder injury, said earlier this month that he’d only un-retire if he had a chance to play for a Super Bowl contender. ...

"Those options would seemingly limit Carr’s market, but there are at least a few teams on the verge of contention who fit that criteria. Notably, Minnesota Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell and Atlanta Falcons coach Kevin Stefanski declined to endorse their young starting quarterbacks each entering Year 3 after disappointing seasons that saw both clubs narrowly miss out on the playoffs. And if Aaron Rodgers decides to call it quits, the Pittsburgh Steelers — who did make the postseason — would be another potential landing spot for Carr."

Of the three teams mentioned by Paras, the Steelers would be the best-case scenario. Atlanta is in the division. It would be somewhat of a surprise to see Carr get traded there, although nothing is impossible, of course. Minnesota is in the NFC as well, although not in the division.

Pittsburgh is in the AFC and really wouldn't impact the Saints much, outside of one matchup in 2026. Pittsburgh plays in a difficult division and if Rodgers were to retire, it wouldn't have a clear answer to compete against the likes of Lamar Jackson or Joe Burrow in the AFC North. Carr would be an upgrade over Mason Rudolph and Will Howard, even a year removed from playing.

Plus, with a new head coach in Mike McCarthy after years of Mike Tomlin, it would be somewhat of a surprise to see Pittsburgh go into the 2026 campaign without a significant option under center in his first year leading the franchise. Plus, with weapons like DK Metcalf, Jaylen Warren and Pat Freiermuth, there's a lot of talent with the franchise already, so it would be a good place for a quarterback to land.

For all of these reasons, the Saints should be hoping Rodgers hangs up his cleats and then Pittsburgh comes calling.

This article first appeared on New Orleans Saints on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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