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By Evan Massey
Contributing Sports Writer
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The Pittsburgh Steelers are currently 4-1 to begin the 2025 NFL season. In what could well be Aaron Rodgers' final season playing professional football, he appears to have positioned himself for a chance to win a championship on his way out.
Granted, it's just Week 7. There is no guarantee that the Steelers will even be a playoff team by the end of the season.
However, the aggressive offseason that Pittsburgh put together appears to be paying off. Rodgers has played well through the first five games of the year and the team around him has played at a high level.
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Unfortunately for the Steelers, their contention could end as quickly as it started. If they are unable to find a suitable successor for Rodgers, the team could struggle during the 2026 NFL season, assuming he does retire.
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With that in mind, all eyes are on the next offseason when it comes to Pittsburgh's quarterback situation. Could the front office target a proven veteran quarterback? Will the Steelers focus on finding a long-term starter in the NFL Draft?
Only time will tell, but a new suggestion has been made for Pittsburgh to find Rodgers' heir.
Jordan Reid of ESPN has released a new 2026 mock draft. He has Pittsburgh landing Alabama breakout quarterback Ty Simpson with the No. 30 overall pick in the first round.
"It's essential for the Steelers to find the heir apparent under center to soon-to-be 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers, and I think Simpson has been the most impressive of the draft-eligible quarterbacks," Reid wrote. "Despite the need, Pittsburgh waited until Round 6 to pick a QB this past April (Will Howard). It can't wait that long again. Like Moore, Simpson is an inexperienced starter (all six career starts have come this season). It's not certain that Simpson will declare for the 2026 draft, but league evaluators have taken notice of his impressive stretches this season. He has thrown 16 TD passes and just one interception this season."
Simpson has been looking the part of a potential Heisman Trophy contender so far this year. He has thrown for 1,678 yards, 16 touchdowns, and just one interception so far this year, while completing 70.9 percent of his passes. In addition, he has picked up 58 yards and scored two more touchdowns on the ground.
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On the outside looking in, Simpson could be a very intriguing target for the Steelers.
Expect to continue hearing a lot of speculation about what Pittsburgh will do at quarterback after Rodgers. Simpson is one potential option to keep an eye on heading into next offseason if he continues playing at the level he has shown this year for Alabama.
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