Aaron Rodgers re-signs: How he fits the Steelers' offense - ESPN

In one of the most anticipated transactions of the 2026 NFL offseason, the Steelers and Aaron Rodgers have agreed to a one-year deal that will return the veteran quarterback as Pittsburgh's starting passer for the upcoming season. The deal pays Rodgers somewhere between $22 million and $23 million in base salary, with incentives up to $25 million — a significant pay bump from his one-year, $13.65 million deal last year.

Reporting for months indicated that Rodgers was considering one more season, and the Steelers hired his longtime head coach Mike McCarthy as their replacement for the outgoing Mike Tomlin. Despite how destined the pairing seemed, there's reason to wonder why the Steelers wanted to hitch their wagon to 42-year-old Rodgers for yet another season, given how last year's offense performed.

I took a look at exactly how the Steelers' offense was built in 2025 and how much of that construction was because of Rodgers' play at his age. I also tried to size up what McCarthy could do to work around Rodgers' play style in 2026 and how successful the Steelers could be if he pulls it off.

Jump to:
How did Rodgers look in 2025?
What can the Steelers do in 2026?
Can the Steelers win with him?

The Steelers' offense was pretty average last season. It ranked 17th in yards per play and 16th in points per drive. By advanced numbers, it was 21st in success rate and 16th in EPA per play. This jives with the eye test of a team that finished around .500 and generally won games in which its defense created turnovers or dominated in the pass rush.

Perhaps surprisingly for a Rodgers-led team, the Steelers' passing attack was the weaker half of its offensive identity. Compare its offensive performance on designed runs as compared to