Steelers Star Patrick Queen Puts Odds On Aaron Rodgers' Return

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Steelers Star Patrick Queen Puts Odds On Aaron Rodgers' Return

Originally posted on The Spun | By Andrew Gould | Last updated Apr 14, 2026 1:29 PM ET

Patrick Queen and the Pittsburgh Steelers are waiting on Aaron Rodgers to decide his future plans.

The Steelers may enter their second straight draft wondering if Rodgers will play for them. The 42-year-old quarterback has yet to make up his mind after leading Pittsburgh to an AFC North title last season.

Queen has no inside information to share about Rodgers' decision. The linebacker told NFL Network's Good Morning Football, via NFL.com's Eric Edholm, that he considers it "50-50" whether Rodgers returns to the Steelers or retires.

"He's a great dude, he's a great teammate. I like him personally," Queen said on Tuesday. "Is he gonna be back? I don't know. That's kind of a thing for Aaron and the team to figure out. But hell, I'll take him. Dude is a great teammate. He's a great quarterback."

Will Rodgers return in 2026?

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) looks on after being sacked during the first half of the NFL Wild Card game against the Houston Texans at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA on January 12, 2026.© Michael Longo/For USA Today Network-PA / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images.

Rodgers ended his seemingly annual offseason saga by signing a one-year deal with the Steelers in June. The four-time MVP delivered solid returns, registering a 94.8 quarterback rating with 3,222 yards and 24 touchdowns.

Pittsburgh won the division but got booted from the first round for the third straight year. That game would represent an ugly swan song for Rodgers, who completed 17 of 33 passes for 146 yards, no touchdowns, a lost fumble, and a pick-six in a 30-6 loss to the Houston Texans.

Rodgers has already punched his Hall of Fame ticket, but Queen speculated that the 10-time Pro Bowler may want to end his career on a brighter note.

"He's older. He's experienced a lot, he did a lot. He doesn't really owe the game anything," Queen said. "But at the same time, I think the competitor in him definitely wants to get back out on the field. Especially how last year ended, I know he just wants to get back from that. I couldn't imagine what's going through his mind. At the end of the day, it's his decision. I respect whatever he does. But definitely would love to have him back."

If Rodgers returns, Queen wants last year's 26th-ranked defense to give him more help under head coach Mike McCarthy.

"We all know him, we all love him," Queen said of Rodgers. "He knows how to win. We just gotta be better for him, get the ball back to him more times so we can have more chances to go down there and score."

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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