The Aaron Rodgers era is nearing its end. Before the 2026 NFL season gets underway, Rodgers, one of the most decorated quarterbacks in history, made it clear that this will be his final year in the league.
After a solid 2025 campaign, the Pittsburgh Steelers had to deal with Mike Tomlin's resignation. But the Steelers hired Mike McCarthy and reunited the four-time MVP with the coach who helped him win a Super Bowl. That move, however, is not really moving the needle for a Super Bowl champion wide receiver.
After his legendary run with the Green Bay Packers came to an end, Rodgers had a disappointing time with the New York Jets. Last year, when Rodgers came to the Steelers, they hoped he could help them end a nearly 10-year-long playoff win drought.
Unfortunately, it didn't come to be. Though they won the AFC North, the Houston Texans thoroughly dominated them to the tune of 30-6 in the AFC Wild Card Round.
The Steelers have to hope that reuniting Rodgers and McCarthy can raise their offensive ceiling.
But former first overall pick Keyshawn Johnson doesn't have a ton of hope for Rodgers as he nears 43. Instead, in a conversation with Jordan Schultz, he made it clear that he expects Rodgers to finish his career without the perfect swansong.
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"I can't do anything with that," Johnson stated. "Aaron Rodgers is a thousand years old, man. You can only get so much juice out of a dry lemon. And Aaron Rodgers is a dry lemon at this stage of his career. His name is still Aaron Rodgers."
Even with Schultz pushing back with the "magic" McCarthy could potentially unlock, Johnson was unwilling to concede. Instead, he pointed to other athletes failing to make a difference past their prime.
"If Mike Tyson got in a heavyweight ring right now, I'd bet on Mike Tyson too. Because I'm still in love with the Mike Tyson in the '80s. That's the way you are with Aaron Rodgers."
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Going a step further, the three-time Pro Bowler added, "On the field, he ain't Aaron Rodgers, four-time MVP no more. He's just not. Father Time catches up to you, and that's okay.
"He can still play football, but he's not at the level we remember in Green Bay. So we can't force it to be what it's not."
Last year, Rodgers ranked at number 29 in PFN's Quarterback Impact Metrics , throwing for 3,322 yards and 24 touchdowns against seven interceptions. This offseason, the team added Michael Pittman Jr. and running back Rico Dowdle to the group.
Moreover, with the McCarthy reunion, the Steelers will look to take a step forward. But there remains skepticism about whether that can become a reality for them.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network .
