The week of the 2026 draft has arrived, and the Steelers are once again unsure of whether or not their presumed starting quarterback will be in the fold by the start of the season. The future of Aaron Rodgers remains uncertain at this time, and clarity does not appear to be imminent.
Rodgers has been in communication with head coach Mike McCarthy and general manager Omar Khan during recent weeks, but NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero report a formal assurance of suiting up for 2026 has yet to be provided. Pittsburgh is not expected to know Rodgers’ intentions for certain until after the upcoming draft. Owner Art Rooney II previously tapped the draft as a checkpoint for finding out more on this front, but it appears that will not be the case.
The Steelers had hoped to receive clarity with respect to Rodgers in mid-February, which would have been an earlier timeline than in 2025. Instead, another wait lasting deep into the offseason has taken place and it is set to continue. Pelissero points to the start of OTAs as a logical time for Rodgers to make his return to the organization and participate in on-field work. For now, the Steelers are set to begin spring practices without the four-time MVP in the fold.
That will leave Will Howard to take first-team reps this week. The 2025 sixth-rounder has drawn praise from McCarthy and others, although a second Rodgers campaign would leave him short on opportunities to develop in advance of the 2027 offseason when Pittsburgh will need to decide on whether or not a starting-caliber QB addition is necessary. Veteran Mason Rudolph is also in the fold.
Rodgers came into the 2025 season thinking it would be his last. Even with Mike Tomlin stepping aside, the door has remained open to a reunion between Rodgers and McCarthy. The two enjoyed a successful tenure in Green Bay, and McCarthy has welcomed the possibility of spending another year together with the Steelers.
Rodgers is 42, and while the future Hall of Famer offered stability under center in 2025 he would not be expected to operate at level matching his peak years in the event of a Pittsburgh return. It remains a distinct possibility that one will take place, but the team is positioned to once again enter the draft without being sure of Rodgers’ future.
Enough. Just enough.
“Nah just a little bit more baby”-Steelers front office maybe
All this drama and uncertainty for a guy who’s what in a best case scenario, the 18th best QB in football?
Maybe 17th I’d put infront of a good few
Ok. And that’s BEST case scenario for a 42-year old who’s lost all his mobility and has clearly started playing to avoid taking hits. The upside is mid and the likelihood of the wheels coming off completely is high.
Hence why Steelers should stop the dog and pony show and start investing in his successor. Either this weekend or next year.
He just needs to go away.
It’s time to stop enabling the Rodger’s games. The Steelers missed the Kirk Cousins opportunity leaving them with 3 veteran options: 1. Jimmy Garoppolo 2. Russell Wilson 3. Continue the Aaron Rodgers will he/won’t he.
Take your lumps this season Steelers, if you stink that badly, you’ll be in line to fix things next year.
They should trade their first for one next year. Then have more capital to move up the board for a rookie QB.
Ownership will never let them follow that logical path. And it’s a disgrace. They would rather have a winning record every year than do a reset. That wasn’t a Tomlin thing, that was an Art Rooney II. It’s disgraceful how incompetent he is compared to his legendary father and grandfather.
Same with the Giants. The sons that inherited the team took a proud, SB winning franchise into the dirt.
This is embarrassing. AR is holding an entire organization hostage. Why are they letting this happen??
Tomlin always said he wanted volunteers, not hostages. At a certain point with Rodgers, you have to say the Steelers have volunteered to be hostages.
Does it matter though? This draft isn’t deep with QB talent and AR probably has one year max left in him. They should plan to draft one anyways
I agree with you. Every year, we hear the draft gurus telling us that next year, the draft will have better QB’s. We heard it last year and the Steelers passed on guys like Dart and Schough, who in my mind would have fit perfectly here. Now we’re hearing the same baloney. ‘27 will have better options. Yeah. Sure
Since I don’t have a life, I watched the combine and the QB’s in particular. I guess my point is this: if McCarthy is truly the QB development guy we keep reading he is, you can’t tell me that he can’t turn one of these kids into a serviceable QB at the very least. Or give Howard a shot
As a fan, I’m taken aback by this love affair with a guy who’s far beyond his prime. He played well against teams you’d have expected last season but he looked his age against the better teams and did little. He’s clearly not Brady-like at this age
To me, again, this is the delusional owner pushing the idea that the Steelers are close to the promised land with an “experienced veteran” at the position. He promised an answer and while I’d like to think the team already knows what he’s going do, why is it I think they’ll again pass on a number of guys who could help them?
Exactly. Either or not they like Will Howard, whether or not Rodgers returns for another year, at worst you need a possible upgrade on Mason Rudolph as the backup. Draft one one you like and at least make the room deeper.
His mystery wife has been in his ear performing witchcraft this is out of pocket even for ARod lol
Once storied franchise is a laughing stock.
Still a storied franchise. But the current situation is very muddled. Not a laughing stock yet. This isn’t Cleveland!
Not even sure why the Steelers are waiting on him. He’s not even that good anymore
Khan and Rooney are embarrassing. They’ve let a player run their team and then try to play hardball with guys who want to renegotiate their contracts.
But for Rodgers it’s the Steelers or he’s an ambulance chaser hoping someone gets injured and he can step in.
For years I’ve read over and over how Tomlin doesn’t control his players, Tomlin doesn’t make people accountable, Tomlin has no control of the room, Tomlin really chooses the roster, etc., etc.,
This is an ownership problem. Has been for years, and years. Art Rooney II thinks that this is still a Super Bowl team who is perpetually one player away from a title. This charade and dance with Rodgers is 100% being enabled if not dictated by Rooney.
Agreed. People want to blame Khan. Maybe he’s of the same belief, but Rooney’s interview answers at the close of the season and then again with the hiring of McCarthy kind of crystallize what’s going on here. If the boss is all-in on something, just what is the GM to do?
C’mon Rodgers…do it or get off the pot.
people want to compare this guy to Brady. great thrower of football, that’s it.
What the Steelers should’ve done was laid down some boundaries with Erin once their season ended!! Should’ve told her, let us know what your plans are no later than 2 months after the season was over.
Rodgers must wait for the Illuminati to inform him that there has been a cosmic alignment of the planets before he can make a decision 🙂