Why an Aaron Rodgers-led Steelers can make Super Bowl run in 2026

The Pittsburgh Steelers' Super Bowl window hasn't closed. This team is strikingly close to another Super Bowl win. It would make for a dramatic and appropriate end to the career of quarterback Aaron Rodgers, and it's all within reach.

These are all things Steelers enthusiasts want badly to believe. They want to think it's more than wishful thinking. The good news is that this year, it isn't just wishful thinking. These things could actually happen.

There are a few reasons the MVP-winning Rodgers and the Steelers can go all the way in 2026. Yes, they could even win the big game.

Why Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers can win in 2026

For one, Rodgers has more and better targets this season. The Steelers have welcomed new players into the fold, Michael Pittman Jr., Rico Dowdle and Germie Bernard. Those three additions alone will help Rodgers succeed more than he did in 2025, and last season wasn't too shabby, so it says a lot that he'll be able to do better.

Another reason Rodgers and the Steelers can thrive in 2026 is that this is it for Rodgers. It's his last chance. He's said this is his final season in the NFL, and this isn't a Motley Crue retirement announcement. He means it. The reality that this is Rodgers' final chance to end his career with a Super Bowl win should motivate him even more.

Finally, Rodgers is back with Mike McCarthy. These two have a history together, obviously. They won a Super Bowl together. The most successful parts of Rodgers' career were with McCarthy, and that could make this year a repeat of the best kind.