Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers are off to a 1-1 start. But the general sentiment surrounding the team is not exactly in a positive spot.
Concerns were raised Sunday following a 20-3 loss to the New England Patriots in Week 2. Rodgers threw the ball 39 times for a total of 187 yards and an interception. Meanwhile, the leading rusher was Jaylen Warren with 11 rushes for 43 yards.
The main concern is Rodgers, who looked a step or two slower than expected and took some massive hits from the Patriots defense. This came after a close Week 1 victory over a lowly Atlanta Falcons team in which Rodgers had 221 passing yards and one touchdown.
Fans may be wondering if Rodgers could be benched at any point this season with a long line of quarterbacks behind him in Mason Rudolph, Drew Allar, and Will Howard. That question was addressed by ESPN’s Dan Graziano in an article addressing potential overreactions early in the 2026 season.
Will Aaron Rodgers Get Replaced?
Rodgers is 42 years old and is clearly not the same athlete he once was. However, benching the future Hall of Famer seems like too drastic a move, especially with Mike McCarthy as his head coach.
Graziano called it a major “overreaction” and explained why.
“I simply do not believe that McCarthy would bench Rodgers in his final season for Mason Rudolph, Will Howard or Drew Allar — at least not until the Steelers are eliminated from postseason contention,” he wrote. “These two guys reunited in Pittsburgh this year to pursue a championship together, and no matter what the rest of us think, they believe it’s possible and won’t give up the ghost until they have to.”
The point above is a strong one. The Steelers could technically end up benching Rodgers, but not until the team is eliminated from playoff contention in his final NFL season. McCarthy is not going to bench his longtime quarterback before then.
“Plus, you really can’t lay Sunday’s performance entirely at Rodgers’ feet,” he continued. “The Steelers need to figure out a run game and some better protection schemes if they’re going to keep Rodgers upright and have a chance this season. It’s just too early to sit here and predict that they won’t.”
More Problems on Offense Outside of QB
The Steelers can’t place all the blame on Rodgers, as Graziano notes. The offensive line is struggling, leading to a weakened running game.
DK Metcalf is off to a career-worst start as well, already dropping several perfect throws from Rodgers.
The good news for the team is that the vibes are low and yet they still have a 1-1 record. A game against the Cincinnati Bengals is next on the schedule, allowing the offense to reset and get back on track.
Rodgers will be the starter unless things go terribly wrong for the Steelers. That is the case fans must accept, for better or worse.
Will Aaron Rodgers Get Benched? Analyst Shares Verdict on Steelers QB