While the Pittsburgh Steelers lost to the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 7, QB Aaron Rodgers almost led a Pittsburgh comeback, and Rodgers’ performance was one of his best of the season, save for two interceptions (although only one was really his fault). With Rodgers having a strong season, fellow team captain and DL Cam Heyward wants Rodgers in the Black and Gold beyond this season.
“Kudos to Aaron, big respect there. Dude needs to keep playing. That dude is one of a kind and he should have a job as long as he wants. But I gotta make sure we take care of business this year,” Heyward said on his Not Just Football podcast.
Rodgers is only on a one-year contract, and back in June, he essentially confirmed that 2025 would be his last NFL season. But since then, his tune has changed. In July, Rodgers said he might not be done after this season, and a day later, Omar Khan said the Steelers aren’t closing the door on anything with Rodgers beyond 2025.
While Rodgers admitted that he didn’t feel like himself early in the season, he showed off more mobility last week, and if he’s feeling good and having fun playing football, there’s certainly a chance he can return after this season. Of course, the Steelers would have to be agreeable to it, but Rodgers has given them their best quarterback play in years, so it’s hard to see them deciding to move on if he wants to return.
It could be an ideal scenario for the Steelers if Rodgers does return. The team could still draft its potential quarterback of the future and have him learn from Rodgers, as Will Howard has done this year, instead of thrusting a rookie into a starting role immediately. It could also give the Steelers another year to develop Howard if they view him as a future starter, but it would be a surprise if they don’t take a quarterback early in the 2026 draft.
It would also give them another year to compete at a high level if Rodgers keeps playing as well as he has. Obviously, it’s not something that will get sorted out until the end of the season, but it’s notable that Heyward is already endorsing a Rodgers return.
But the Steelers’ goal is to win this year, and that needs to be the focus instead of the future, as Heyward said. At 4-2, the Steelers are in a good spot, but they have a difficult upcoming schedule and need to rebound after a disappointing loss to the Bengals.
