Could Broncos view Aaron Rodgers as Bo Nix insurance?

Members of the NFL community continue to be left wondering why quarterback Aaron Rodgers hasn't yet re-signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers to serve as their starting quarterback for the 2026 season. 

NFL insider Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk offered an interesting update regarding Rodgers-related whispers. 

Aaron Rodgers linked with Broncos amid Bo Nix uncertainty? 

According to Florio, there's now "talk" that the Denver Broncos could bring Rodgers in for a visit. Current Denver starter Bo Nix is still recovering from the broken bone in his right ankle that he suffered this past January, but Broncos general manager George Paton recently insisted that Nix is "ahead of schedule." 

For what it's worth, multiple March reports indicated that Rodgers will either run it back with the Steelers for another campaign or retire. On Tuesday, Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy suggested he is "confident" Rodgers will be Pittsburgh's QB1 later this year. 

Is there a rift between Sean Payton, Bo Nix? 

Questions about the working relationship between Nix and Broncos head coach Sean Payton arose when Payton said in January that Nix had "a condition that was predisposed" regarding his latest ankle injury. Nix has a history of worrisome ankle issues going back to his high-school days, but he insisted this past winter that Payton was wrong and that there "might have been some confusion there." 

It sounds like Florio has been led to believe Payton may want to have Rodgers and Nix on the depth chart later this year. 

"Payton, who like any coach who has won a Super Bowl with one team, is keenly aware that no coach has won a Super Bowl with two different franchises, may be tempted to roll the dice on a possible one-year upgrade (if Rodgers would truly be an upgrade) in order to finish the work the Broncos started in 2025," Florio explained. "For Payton, the possibility of blazing a new trail for NFL coaches could be the thing that gets him to Canton. If he thinks Rodgers gives them a better chance to win the Super Bowl than Nix, why wouldn’t Payton at least ponder the possibility?"

For what it is worth, Florio added that his piece isn't some kind of April Fools' Day joke or prank. Even if the Broncos have some interest in hosting Rodgers for a visit, it doesn't mean the 42-year-old would choose playing for Denver over either returning to Pittsburgh or retiring.