Steelers Are Being Underrated Heading Into Aaron Rodgers' Farewell Season

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) looks on after being sacked during the first half of the NFL Wild Card game against the Houston Texans at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA on January 12, 2026. Aaron Rodgers confirmed at training camp this week that this will be the final season of his Hall of Fame career. It’s been a tumultuous post-Packers life for Rodgers, but last season showed that at points, there was absolutely something left in the tank.Green Bay notoriously struggled to consistently build around Rodgers, and his time with the Jets and Steelers has been quite similar. However, looking ahead to the start of the football season, Pittsburgh has done its best job in years of adding talent to the offensive side of the ball.Mike McCarthy could be a worse coach than Mike Tomlin, and I won’t be too surprised, but I would be shocked if this offense were worse. Last year was a step forward on offense for the Steelers, ranking 17th in points per game, their highest ranking since Ben Roethlisberger's penultimate season in 2020. Since then, the Steelers hadn’t been higher than 22nd in offensive points per game.Steelers offense should be better in 2026Last year, we saw glimpses of what this offense could be, but I feel they were held back by play calling. If Rodgers is let loose and pushes the ball downfield, I think the Steelers could be a near top-10 offense.DK Metcalf was an incredible addition last offseason, as he provided some vertical pressure on defenses, something the Steelers have been in desperate need of. This offseason, Pittsburgh added Michael Pittman and Germie Bernard and has put together one of the most underrated receiving rooms in the league.I’m not in love with the Bernard draft pick, but it’s good to see the Steelers recognize that they still needed to add playmakers across the board. Speaking of playmakers, Rico Dowdle should do a phenomenal job replacing Kenneth Gainwell and will be another option at Rodgers’ disposal.The defense is getting older in Pittsburgh, but at the very worst, it should still be around league average. I’d be incredibly shocked if that was the reason the Steelers missed out on a postseason berth.Currently, the Steelers are +550 to win the AFC North, and those odds are a joke. I don’t feel Baltimore and Cincinnati did enough to distance themselves from a Steelers squad that won the division last year. It’s not the flashy pick, but the Steelers always find a way to be at the top of the division.The Steelers are also +158 to make the playoffs, and I think there’s great value there as well. For nearly a decade, people have tried to write off the Steelers, and I won’t be making that mistake in 2026. Rodgers hasn’t had the most poetic finish to his career, but claiming one more division crown would be a very nice send-off.