The Super Bowl is over, so the NFL offseason is officially here. While the Pittsburgh Steelers’ season ended weeks ago, they’ve been busy putting together a coaching staff. However, they’re almost done with that, and the biggest question remaining for them is who their quarterback will be in 2026.

Reports indicate that a reunion with Aaron Rodgers is increasingly likely. Some fans might be apprehensive about that because of Rodgers’ age, but former Steelers wide receiver Adam Thielen recently explained why Pittsburgh should want Rodgers back.

“His process is unbelievable,” Thielen said recently on the NFL Daily podcast. “To see some of the throws he made in practice and him to do it day in and day out, he was out there competing on Wednesdays. He’s got us over there watching film on Tuesday night. He’s explaining ball on Wednesdays and Thursdays to all the young guys.

“There’s not a lot of that in the NFL. There’s so much going on that you don’t get to really teach football, and he’s doing that. He can still do it, and he can do it at a high level. He just needs some pieces around him that they can all do it together.”

Thielen joined the Steelers in December, so he was only Rodgers’ teammate for a little over a month. However, it’s clear that the four-time NFL MVP made a strong impression on Thielen in that time.

Several other players talked about film sessions with Rodgers throughout the season. Rodgers even brought it up himself when the Steelers hit a rough patch during the season. He stressed how important it was for everyone to attend them.

While Rodgers’ comments created some controversy, the Steelers’ offense improved after he said them. It had its best stretch of the season, posting nearly 30 points against the Baltimore Ravens, Miami Dolphins, and Detroit Lions.

Rodgers sets a high standard, but his resumé speaks for itself. He’s one of the best quarterbacks ever. While Father Time has robbed him of some of his superpowers, his arm talent is still special. He knows what it takes to win, and his veteran leadership made a positive impact on the Steelers’ locker room.

Also, Thielen is correct that Rodgers needed better pieces around him in 2025. The Steelers had some quality skill-position players, such as DK Metcalf and Kenneth Gainwell. However, they still had too many holes on offense. Their lack of receiver depth held them back and their run game was too inconsistent.

Thielen further explained what went wrong with the Steelers’ offense during that same podcast.

“If one guy doesn’t do his job, the quarterback can’t throw the ball, he’s getting hit. I think there were so many of those times in my time in Pittsburgh that just one guy, and sometimes it was me, didn’t do his job well enough and it made maybe the quarterback look bad,” Thielen said.

The Steelers’ offense wasn’t always on the same page, and that was evident. It makes sense that there was some clunkiness. The Steelers added a lot of new pieces last year, and they had a lot of young players who were still growing.

If Rodgers returns, that would likely be less of a problem. There would be more familiarity between the players. Additionally, the Steelers should focus on upgrading their skill players. There are reasons to believe that bringing Rodgers back is a good idea, and that things won’t end like they did in 2025.