NFL futures 2026: Can the Steelers repeat as AFC North champs with return of Aaron Rodgers?

A reunion with Mike McCarthy apparently was too enticing for Aaron Rodgers to pass up.

The 42-year-old Rodgers reportedly is putting off retirement for at least one more year and signing a one-year contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers, who hired McCarthy in January to replace Mike Tomlin as head coach. Rodgers and McCarthy were together for 12-plus seasons with the Green Bay Packers and reached the postseason nine times, winning six NFC North titles and a championship (Super Bowl XLV).

After spending two injury- and turmoil-filled years with the New York Jets following a trade prior to the 2023 season, Rodgers contemplated putting a bow on his illustrious career. But the four-time NFL MVP ultimately shelved that plan and elected to join the Steelers. He helped guide them to a 10-7 record and their first AFC North title since 2020 before the team was trounced 30-6 by the Houston Texans in the wild-card round of the playoffs.

With Rodgers again taking a considerable amount of time to ponder his future, McCarthy was preparing to enter this year's training camp with Mason Rudolph, Will Howard and Drew Allar, who was selected in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft, as his quarterbacks. The prospects for success were considered to be low, but the return of the future Hall-of-Famer gives Pittsburgh a stronger chance to finish at .500 or better for a 23rd consecutive season and win another division crown.

Like the Steelers, the Baltimore Ravens will enter 2026 with a new head coach, as Jesse Minter, who has no previous experience in the role, takes over for John Harbaugh after the latter led the team to six division titles and one championship (Super Bowl XLVII) during his 18-year tenure. Meanwhile, the Cincinnati Bengals have finished no better than third in the AFC North and missed the playoffs each of the last three years, and the Cleveland Browns have posted a total of eight wins over the past two campaigns and continue to have difficulty finding stability at the QB position.

The Steelers' odds to win Super Bowl LXI at most sportsbooks haven't changed much with the news of Rodgers' impending return, only dropping a bit from +8000 at several sports betting sites, and their Over/Under win total remains at 8.5 as it was believed the veteran would suit up in 2026. However, repeating as AFC North champions could be an enticing wager when considering the uncertainty surrounding their division rivals.