It appears that the Pittsburgh Steelers and Aaron Rodgers are prepared for another prolonged wait regarding his status for the 2026 season.
Though the Steelers and GM Omar Khan have stated that they don’t expect things to drag out with Rodgers, the 42-year-old quarterback said Wednesday on The Pat McAfee Show that he hasn’t made a decision and doesn’t even have a contract offer from the Steelers to mull over.
For former NFL wide receiver and current ESPN analyst Harry Douglas, the Steelers should make the decision for Rodgers and move on.
“What they should be doing right now, in my opinion, is exhausting every possibility to bring in a [different] quarterback, whether it’s free agency and you have a few guys, when you look at Mac Jones, can you go try to trade for him?” Douglas said Thursday on Get Up, according to video via ESPN. “Kyler Murray’s going to be released by the Arizona Cardinals. You also have Malik Willis that’s going to be a free agent. Can you exhaust the possibility of bringing one of those guys in a free agency? Can you also look at the draft and if the quarterback Ty Simpson is there at number 21, you can take him, or if you decide to move up in the draft and take Ty Simpson, I do like that call.
“Aaron Rodgers is 42 years old. Not saying he didn’t do a good job at the quarterback position last year, but I do feel like this organization needs to move forward at the quarterback position and leave Aaron Rodgers in the rearview mirror.”
With Mike McCarthy taking over as the Steelers’ head coach, it makes sense that he’d want Rodgers back for another year. The two had a great deal of success together in Green Bay, and Rodgers could help lay the foundation for McCarthy’s Steelers tenure.
But Rodgers is 42 years old and didn’t look good at all in the AFC Wild Card loss to the Houston Texans with his last pass going for a pick-six putting the nail in the coffin on the Steelers’ season. It doesn’t seem all that smart that the Steelers want to sign up for another year with Rodgers.
His leadership behind the scenes was reportedly outstanding, and teammates want him back. But Pittsburgh isn’t going anywhere with Rodgers at this stage of his career.
That’s why Douglas wants to see the Steelers turn the page. There is no future with Rodgers. There could be a future with the likes of Mac Jones, Kyler Murray, Malik Willis or even drafting Alabama’s Ty Simpson in the first round.
The Steelers have raved about Will Howard this offseason, and there’s a potential future there with him. He needs to be given a chance at the very least. Re-signing Rodgers and rolling with him as the starter in 2026 hoping to compete one last time isn’t setting the franchise up for the future.
“You’re not going to win a Super Bowl and contend with Aaron Rodgers because you have so many other holes on your offense and your entire team,” Douglas added. “So why not just start playing towards the future anyway?”
That’s the major question in the Steel City at the moment.
Sure, Rodgers might be the best chance at competing in 2026 with McCarthy as head coach and offensive play caller, at least based on the realistic options at the moment. It doesn’t seem like the Steelers are going to swing a trade for Mac Jones or pay Malik Willis big money.
Kyler Murray is the most intriguing option and could come very cheap. But that familiarity and leadership with Rodgers has its pull. All good things have to come to an end at some point though, and it seems like right now many believe it’s time for Rodgers and the Steelers to meet that end.
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