The Pittsburgh Steelers are once again in No Man’s Land when it comes to figuring out the quarterback position, but the return of QB Aaron Rodgers could be in the cards. The Steelers would welcome Rodgers’ return if he wants to come back. However, FS1’s Colin Cowherd thinks that Rodgers wouldn’t be an “ideal fit” with his former head coach Mike McCarthy, and the Steelers should go a different route. Cowherd pairs the Steelers with Malik Willis, while believing Rodgers should sign with the Minnesota Vikings.
“I would go get Malik Willis. McCarthy has a connection to Green Bay. He’s going to have intel. Also, the Steelers need to get younger and more athletic. Malik Willis, there’s people in the building and out of the building who are saying he’s better than Jordan Love. I don’t think so, but he’s electric. He played very well in Green Bay. McCarthy has a history of getting the best out of quarterbacks despite the criticism he gets,” Cowherd said on Friday’s episode of The Herd.
“Let’s face it. With Aaron [Rodgers], Aaron did the best job possible, but do you really think Aaron and Mike McCarthy, McCarthy’s went and hired a new staff, one of them doesn’t really see eye-to-eye with Aaron, it doesn’t feel like an ideal fit. I think Malik Willis works for me.”
For what it’s worth, Cowherd’s belief that a staff member doesn’t see eye-to-eye with Rodgers stems from a 2023 report about Rodgers being upset that the team replaced then-quarterbacks coach Alex Van Pelt with Frank Cignetti Jr., who is now a senior offensive assistant with the Steelers. Rodgers shouted out Cignetti in his introductory press conference with the Steelers, and there’s no real evidence that the two have any sort of hard feelings.
Outside of that, it’s fair to consider if the Steelers would be better off taking a swing on Willis. Rodgers is 42 and isn’t going to be an option beyond one season. There’s at least the potential that Willis could develop into the quarterback of the future, but despite a strong showing in relief duty for Jordan Love, he just doesn’t have a ton of reps. Willis has only thrown 155 passes in four seasons in the league, and the Steelers may not want to risk it with an unknown quantity.
That’s the risk a team going after Willis will have to take, but the upside could certainly be worth it. While Cowherd believes that Rodgers should sign elsewhere, the chances of that happening feel low, and his relationship with Mike McCarthy could lead to a return to Pittsburgh. There’s no doubt that Willis is intriguing, and the Steelers reportedly could show interest in him during free agency. But a Rodgers return at this point feels much more likely, even if some – including Cowherd – believe Willis could be a better option.
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