As the season winds down, so may be the time for quarterback Aaron Rodgers with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Should the Steelers lose and start their offseason early, Rodgers has a decision to make. Pittsburgh signed him on a one-year deal for an all-in push this season toward the playoffs, so the 42-year-old will have to contemplate his next season moves.
Particularly, he wants to continue mentoring former Kansas State quarterback Will Howard.
“I’ve made a point of really trying to help out Will because I love him," Rodgers said to reporters on Wednesday. "He’s a great kid, and I think he’s got a bright future. That's one relationship I really wanted to pour into.”
Howard spent four seasons with the Wildcats, rotating at the starting position with Adrian Martinez and Avery Johnson. He compiled 5,786 passing yards, 48 touchdowns, and 25 interceptions, while rushing for 921 yards and 19 touchdowns. He went to Ohio State for the chance to compete at the national level, and he capitalized on it by winning the 2025 championship. Howard threw for 4,010 yards, 35 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions, rushing for 226 yards and seven touchdowns in his first season with the Buckeyes.
His title run propelled him into NFL Draft conversations, which led to him being selected by the Steelers in the sixth round of the 2025 Draft. Howard has been sitting behind Rodgers as a developmental piece who could possibly be the franchise player. Even in his elder seasons, the four-time MVP has offered plenty of mentorship and some solid play for Howard to emulate.
As Rodgers contemplates his next move, he certainly has a plethora of directions to go.
“I’m on a one-year deal, so you know what the situation is,” Rodgers said. “Whenever the season ends, I’ll be a free agent. So that’ll give me a lot of options if I still want to play. Not a lot of options, but there’ll be options if I decide I still want to play. But I’ve enjoyed this experience, and everybody in Pittsburgh has been fantastic to me on and off the field. It’s really what I was hoping for this experience, because it’s been even better than I was hoping.”
But for now, Rodgers' focus remains on the Steelers' season-deciding matchup with the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday night. A once sure-fire playoff bid now wanes in a Week 18 showdown for the AFC North title.
Pittsburgh hosts the Ravens on Sunday night.