Aaron Rodgers is playing his final NFL season with the Pittsburgh Steelers while carrying a belief that goes beyond personal closure. The 42-year-old quarterback says Pittsburgh has the roster to make a serious Super Bowl run. His confidence follows a productive first season with the team and an offseason of roster changes.
Rodgers pointed to veteran leadership, defensive additions and improved offensive options as reasons for his optimism. Pittsburgh opened the season with a 20-13 home victory over Atlanta on September 13 and will visit New England on September 20. Mike McCarthy is coaching Rodgers again after their long partnership in Green Bay, adding another dimension to the Steelers’ ambitions.
Rodgers has made his belief unmistakable
Rodgers gave his clearest assessment during an interview with Adam Schein on Mad Dog Sports Radio. Asked whether the Steelers belong among the teams with a realistic chance to reach Super Bowl weekend, Rodgers answered without hesitation that they do.
“Yeah, of course. Of course. That’s why I came back, because I believe in the guys,” Rodgers said. His explanation made the statement more than a routine expression of preseason optimism, because he tied his return directly to his belief in Pittsburgh’s roster.
Rodgers also acknowledged the difficulty inside the AFC. He said the conference is very deep and noted that several teams in the AFC North have Super Bowl aspirations, making Pittsburgh’s path demanding even with the confidence inside the locker room.
Pittsburgh gives Rodgers more reasons to believe
The Steelers entered 2026 with a substantially reshaped roster. Pittsburgh’s initial 53-man group includes Rodgers alongside DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr. at receiver, Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle in the backfield, and a defense featuring T.J. Watt, Cameron Heyward, Patrick Queen, Jalen Ramsey and Joey Porter Jr.
Rodgers specifically highlighted defensive additions Jaquan Brisker and Jamel Dean when explaining his confidence. Brisker joined Pittsburgh after four seasons with Chicago, while Dean arrived after spending his first seven NFL seasons with Tampa Bay, giving the secondary additional experience around an already established defensive core.
The quarterback also praised the offensive line’s upside, the unit’s development, and the team’s specialists. His broader point was that Pittsburgh has quality across the roster rather than relying on one unit to carry the season, a distinction that matters for a team trying to survive a crowded AFC race.
Fun fact: Jaquan Brisker is a Pittsburgh-area native who played his college football at Penn State before signing with the Steelers in 2026. Pittsburgh’s official announcement noted that he had started all 52 games he appeared in during his first four NFL seasons with Chicago.
The McCarthy reunion adds another dimension
Rodgers’ confidence is also connected to his reunion with Mike McCarthy, who became Pittsburgh’s head coach in January. Rodgers spent 11 seasons as Green Bay’s starting quarterback under McCarthy, including the team’s Super Bowl-winning 2010 campaign.
Rodgers has spoken positively about their renewed relationship, describing McCarthy as a strong play caller and emphasizing the trust between quarterback and coach. Their familiarity is especially relevant as the Steelers transition from Mike Tomlin, who led the franchise for 19 seasons.
The reunion began with a 20-13 home victory over Atlanta on September 13. Tua Tagovailoa was initially named the Falcons’ Week 1 starter, but an oblique injury ruled him out. Cooper Rush started in his place, while Michael Penix Jr. remained inactive as he continued recovering from a knee injury.
Rodgers’ final season raises the stakes
Rodgers has been explicit that 2026 will be his final NFL season. He announced the decision in May after signing a 1-year deal with Pittsburgh and reiterated in July that there was “zero debate” about retiring after the season.
That decision gives his Super Bowl comments a different context. Rodgers is not describing a long-term project in Pittsburgh; he is playing a final campaign with a roster he believes can compete immediately while attempting to add a second championship to a career that includes 4 MVP awards.
His 2025 performance gives the Steelers some reason for optimism. Rodgers completed 65.7% of his passes for 3,322 yards, 24 touchdowns and 7 interceptions while helping Pittsburgh finish 10-7, win the AFC North and reach the playoffs.
Pittsburgh’s challenge starts immediately
Confidence inside the Steelers does not change the difficulty of their schedule or the competition around them. Pittsburgh opened with a 20-13 home victory over Atlanta on September 13. The Steelers will visit New England on September 20 before hosting Cincinnati on September 27.
The initial roster also contained an unusual amount of quarterback depth. Pittsburgh kept 4 quarterbacks: Rodgers, Mason Rudolph, second-year quarterback Will Howard, and rookie Drew Allar. Rodgers said he was surprised that the team retained all 4.
For Rodgers, however, the central issue remains the overall roster rather than his position group. His message is that Pittsburgh has veteran leadership, young talent, and enough quality across offense, defense, and special teams to compete with any opponent, although the AFC offers little margin for error.
The Steelers’ championship conversation begins with Rodgers’ confidence, but cannot end there. His 2025 production, reunion with McCarthy, veteran-heavy roster, and 1-0 start provide a foundation for that belief. The remainder of the season will determine whether it translates into a deep postseason run.
TL;DR
- Aaron Rodgers said the Steelers are legitimate Super Bowl contenders and tied his return to his belief in the roster.
- Pittsburgh added veterans, including Jaquan Brisker and Jamel Dean, while retaining stars such as T.J. Watt and Cameron Heyward.
- Mike McCarthy’s arrival reunited Rodgers with the coach who oversaw his first 11 seasons as Green Bay’s starting quarterback.
- Rodgers says 2026 will be his final NFL season after he passed for 3,322 yards, 24 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions in 2025.
- Pittsburgh defeated Atlanta 20-13 on September 13. Cooper Rush started for the Falcons after an oblique injury ruled out Tua Tagovailoa.
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This article was made with AI assistance and human editing.
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