NFL Analyst Calls Steelers’ Aaron Rodgers Decision a ‘Trap’

Entering the offseason, the Steelers expected Rodgers to return for another season, and they did not draft a starting-caliber quarterback in the 2026 NFL Draft. Rodgers took his time with the decision, as he often does, before signing a one-year deal worth up to $25 million for the 2026 season, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.

While the uncertainty surrounding the Steelers’ quarterback situation has finally ended, many believe bringing Rodgers back for another season was a mistake, with Skip Bayless offering particularly harsh criticism.

“Steelers fall back into the Aaron Rodgers trap. He was washed in his final season in Green Bay. That again was painfully obvious in Pittsburgh’s 30-6 home playoff loss,” he wrote.

It was the first time since 2021 that Rodgers reached the playoffs, but he failed to record a single touchdown, throwing for just 146 yards and one interception. The performance resembled his last playoff appearance with the Packers, when he threw for 225 yards without a touchdown in a loss.

Following the Steelers’ brutal playoff exit, disappointment in Pittsburgh reached the point where Mike Tomlin decided to step down as head coach after more than two decades.

The Steelers have since hired former Packers head coach Mike McCarthy, and the connection with Rodgers is clear. The pair have won 107 games together, including the playoffs, which is the ninth-most by any head coach-starting quarterback duo in the Super Bowl era, which began in 1966.

Rodgers receiving a $10 million raise despite the 20-plus-point playoff defeat has certainly raised eyebrows, although he was facing the league’s best defense in Houston.

With McCarthy now leading the Steelers, Pittsburgh has upgraded its supporting cast by adding former Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr., running back Rico Dowdle, rookie wide receiver Germie Bernard, and rookie offensive tackle Max Iheanachor.

The Steelers had little chance of landing a franchise quarterback in the 2026 NFL Draft, forcing them to turn back to Rodgers. He can certainly steady the ship and keep the team competitive, but playoff success is far from guaranteed, and that could ultimately be the trap Pittsburgh has fallen into.