Dan Orlovsky believes Aaron Rodgers is coming back to play for another year.
The Steelers are awaiting Rodgers’ decision to play a 22nd season, and they’re hoping he decides before the 2026 NFL Draft, which starts on April 23. Pittsburgh hired Rodgers’ former coach with the Green Bay Packers, Mike McCarthy. Rodgers and McCarthy won a Super Bowl in Green Bay at the conclusion of the 2010 season.
Rodgers had a solid 2025 season with the Steelers, leading them to the playoffs. He helped the team clinch its first AFC North title since the 2020 season. Rodgers threw 24 touchdowns against seven interceptions for a 94.8 passer rating, his highest passer rating since his last MVP season with the Packers in 2021.
While Orlovsky believes Rodgers will be back for another season, he emphasized that the Steelers should start building for the future at the quarterback position. He discussed Ty Simpson, who is considered the second-best quarterback prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft, in an exclusive with ClutchPoints.
“I think Aaron’s gonna play,” said Orlovsky. “Maybe it’s a jaded viewpoint, because I have such a respect and admiration for the organization. There’s no way that you can go into this blind again, and in Mike McCarthy, obviously, the history. I believe Aaron’s going to play. I think they’re good enough to be a good football team as presently constructed. Obviously, some moves can be made. I do not believe they’re a championship-contending football team.
“In regards to what they should do, I don’t think it’s surprising for you to hear me say I think Ty Simpson is a really good player,” Orlovsky continued. “I think Ty Simpson’s a first-round draft pick seven days a week — 2024 class, 2025 class, 2026 class, 2027 class. I would be interested to see if that was somebody that they looked at, especially if Aaron comes back. He has the opportunity to maybe learn under Aaron for the year, but at some point, that decision or that situation and position just needs to be aggressively addressed. I thought Aaron played winning football last year. I would expect, if he plays this year, to play winning football.”
What is the future in Pittsburgh?
The Steelers are coming off a 10-7 season, but they haven’t won a playoff game since 2016. However, they’re still looking for their first young franchise quarterback since the retirement of Ben Roethlisberger. The Kenny Pickett experiment failed, and they went through a one-season run with Russell Wilson at quarterback.
While Rodgers may return next season, he likely won’t be back for beyond that year. That’s why Simpson landing with the Steelers is a scenario that Orlovsky advises Pittsburgh to look into. The Steelers will select No. 21 in the first round of the draft.
“I guess that as it sits now, 10 days away from the draft, it seems like he’s going to be a second round pick,” said Orlovsky. “Being honest, that blows my mind. There’s no way that his tape is second round tape. There’s just no way. Do I think he’s going to be there? I would be surprised that he’s there off of what well respected and connected reporters and draft gurus and journalists are saying. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s there, so I guess it’s a lot of TBD in that regard.”
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