Steelers’ Aaron Rodgers Entering Fiery Final Ride

PITTSBURGH — The return of regular season football is a bit like the final days before a major holiday, and that feeling is back once again for the Pittsburgh Steelers. The kick-off to the 2026 regular season is days away, and the beginning of what will hopefully be a magical season at the confluence of the Allegheny, Monongahela and Ohio Rivers.

For Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, this season carries even more sentimentality. The 22-year veteran has called this year his “last ride” in the NFL, hinting this will be his final campaign in the league. Knowing that this will be his swan song in the NFL, he’s looking to go out on top and the Steelers hope he takes them there.

But what can we expect from Rodgers in the 2026 season? The fanbase and organization holds one expectation, but the Steelers have to wreckon with the reality that a quarterback’s final season in the NFL is boom or bust.

Best Case Scenario: A Super Bowl Run for AR8

The ultimate dream scenario is that this all adds up to the Steelers hoisting their first Lombardi Trophy since 2010. That’s what Rodgers envisioned when he signed with the organization before the 2025 season, and that’s why he returned for one more run in Pittsburgh.

That dream might not be that far off, either. After all, there are plenty of recent examples of retiring quarterbacks going out on top.

Look at Peyton Manning. He was downright miserable during his final regular season with the Denver Broncos, throwing 17 interceptions to nine touchdowns, but he did just enough behind his defense to lift that trophy.

John Elway is another example. He also led the Broncos to the ultimate prize while also throwing for 22 touchdowns and over 2,800 passing yards in the regular season.

Comparatively, Rodgers enters his potential final season coming off an impressive previous season. Rodgers threw for 24 touchdowns and seven interceptions in 2025. Manning was coming off a 39-touchdown campaign when his game fell off a cliff in his final season. John Elway threw 27 touchdowns in his second to last NFL campaign. Maybe that’s an indication that Rodgers can do more than enough on his end to bring this team to the next level.