Aaron Rodgers Shines Against Colts at Age 42

I thought Aaron Rodgers was finished before the 2026 season started. His play in the first two weeks did nothing to change that opinion. In my column for Week 2, I called him an old quarterback whose career likely should have ended three years ago. This assessment might need updating now. The page contains affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX News may be compensated. This content was created by a team that works independently from the FOX newsroom.

Yeah, so my take could use an update. The 42-year-old threw three touchdown passes Sunday as the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Indianapolis Colts, 34-22. They improved to 3-2. Rodgers finished with 235 passing yards and has now thrown three touchdowns in three consecutive games. Over that stretch, he's passed for 826 yards and nine touchdowns. That is pretty good production for anyone. It is even better for a quarterback who is likely playing in his final NFL season. For comparison, Rodgers had more turnovers than touchdown passes in the first two games. Now, he is still averaging one turnover per game after throwing three interceptions in the past three games. He has to clean that up.

He did not turn the ball over Sunday. That showed some football left in that 42-year-old right arm. The encouraging part for Pittsburgh is that Rodgers gives the offense something to build on each week. Sunday's opening possession went backward, costing the Steelers 15 yards before they punted. But Rodgers responded quickly. On Pittsburgh's next possession, he got the ball to Jaylen Warren just before taking a hit from defensive tackle Grover Stewart. Warren turned the short completion into an 80-yard touchdown.

Rodgers went on to complete his first 11 passes and did not have an incompletion until midway through the second quarter. Of course, Warren deserves plenty of credit for making his quarterback's numbers look better. He finished with 188 yards from scrimmage and added a 50-yard touchdown run to go with the long receiving score. That was a pretty productive afternoon. But Rodgers also delivered when Pittsburgh needed to put some distance between itself and Indianapolis. With the Steelers leading 24-22 in the fourth quarter, Rodgers found Pat Freiermuth for a 17-yard touchdown on third-and-6. It was Freiermuth's second touchdown catch of the afternoon. That basically locked up the victory.

There were a couple of historical accomplishments mixed in, too. The touchdown pass to Warren moved Rodgers ahead of Peyton Manning for third in career touchdown passes, including the postseason. Only Tom Brady and Drew Brees remain ahead of him. The victory also gave Rodgers 166 regular-season wins as a starting quarterback. That moved him past Ben Roethlisberger into fifth place all time. Passing a Steelers legend while wearing a Steelers uniform is a nice bonus.

The career accomplishments are impressive, obviously. But Steelers fans have a more immediate interest in whether Rodgers can keep playing like this. Pittsburgh needs an offense that can take advantage when its defense gets stops. It must finish drives with touchdowns and deliver a big play when a game gets uncomfortable. Rodgers and Warren gave the Steelers all of that against Indianapolis. There is still plenty of season left, and three good games do not settle every question about this team.

Four teams are already sitting at three wins each in the AFC North. That makes it one of the toughest divisions around. The schedule ahead gives Lamar Rodgers and his squad a real chance to build on that momentum. Next up is Tampa Bay for Week 6, followed by a trip to Paris where they face New Orleans. Those two opponents combine for a dismal 2-8 record so far.

After those away games come the division showdowns against Cleveland and Cincinnati, with a bye week sandwiched right in between. Nobody knows yet if Rodgers can sustain this kind of output as the calendar turns. But look at what he has done already: nine touchdown passes across just three starts. I think I went too hard on calling him out sooner than needed.