Aaron Rodgers is desperately yearning for his second Super Bowl, and nothing would beat the poetic justice of earning it as his former rival. Remember the Green Bay Packers vs. Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl in 2011? But this burning urge comes at what cost? Rookies cost?
Aaron Rodgers and Drew Allar Dynamics in Mike McCarthy’s Pittsburgh
“Aaron [Rodgers]’s been a huge help to not only me but to the whole room,” Drew Allar told reporters on June 9, 2026. “But with me specifically, he’s pulled me aside during practice to talk through some drill work or things to focus on throughout different drills. In the film room, [he was] just asking me questions of what I was seeing, what I was looking at, and why. [He was] just giving me a lot of knowledge. I’m really excited to keep learning from him. Obviously, he’s one of the best to ever do it in this game, so the opportunity I have is one I’m not gonna take for granted. Just learn from him and everybody in that room.”
Aaron Rodgers and Will Howard Interaction in Mike Tomlin’s Steelers
“He [Aaron Rodgers]’s been so awesome to me so far,” Will Howard said via CBS Sports in June 2025. “Obviously, we’ve only gotten to be together for about three days, but I got a really good feeling about him, about this whole QB room. I think we already, in this past week, meshed really well, hit it off. I think we got a good vibe, good group. Aaron has been so willing to help me. He’s like, ‘Literally, as much as little as you want me to help you, I’ll be there.’ He’s already given me tips, little things here and there in the meeting room, on the field, in my drops, different little things. Obviously, I can’t do the things that he can do mechanically, so I don’t want to replicate that too much because that’s pretty unique. But for the most part, everything I can learn from that guy is invaluable.”
Will Howard and Drew Allar Are Smitten by Aaron Rodgers
The Steelers’ rookies are smitten by the ayahuasca retreat lover, Aaron Rodgers. This comes with a cost! They get to learn from the best. But when it’s time to shine on the gridiron? The mentor reportedly steals the spotlight. In 2025, Howard learned from the best, but Rodgers stole his spotlight and took the starting role all the way to the very end. Of course, it came with a title for Pittsburgh – the division title. But the rookie? Wasn’t his time to shine on the gridiron delayed? Or completely absent.
The same story could repeat in 2026. Drew Allar is learning from the best. He is projected to be QB3 in his first season in the NFL. When will his time come to shine on the gridiron? Or will it never? Just like Howard.
Rodgers may not only win the division title but also enter the playoffs and lead Pittsburgh towards the Super Bowl…this is his last chapter, he says. But there’s someone who thinks otherwise.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Christopher Walter Criticizes Aaron Rodgers
“I would say [that] he’d get like a month,” Christopher Walter said. “But it would also need to be that he falls so far off a cliff that it would be disastrous for a month. Rodgers is one of the smarter QBs I’ve ever watched, and even if his arm falls off. I can tell you from what I saw over the past month, it has not. I think he could work his way around physical issues and still make plays. If he bombs the first month, then they’d maybe look at changes.”
And that change could be Drew Allar? Or Will Howard? Or Mason Rudolph? Remains to be seen…
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About the Author
Dr. Arati Kulkarni Srivastava spent six years studying medicine and three years in management, but her passion for writing was too strong to ignore. Having been a vice-captain for her college’s cricket team all four years, she was no stranger to an NFL quarterback’s competitive spirit. She creates compelling football stories that leave a mark on the readers’ hearts, not just their minds. Every morning, she begins her day by flipping through the pages of the TOI sports section to see who scored how much. In the evenings, she indulges in solving intriguing mysteries in the elite world of Olivia Benson from Law & Order: SVU. The sea of Mumbai brings her a sense of tranquility, and nothing soothes her soul quite like Kishore Kumar's melodies.
