At the beginning of the offseason, the Pittsburgh Steelers knew they were going to have to wait on Aaron Rodgers again. The veteran made them wait multiple months last time, and while the Steelers thought things would go quicker this time around, that hasn’t proven to be true yet.
There’s still a month to go before the draft, so Rodgers has some time before he matches last offseason’s saga. But as expected, we haven’t heard from him much this offseason. The one time we did a couple of weeks ago, he didn’t sound close to a decision and confirmed there had been no contract talks between him and the team.
To NFL insider Mike Garafolo, it’s hardly a given that Rodgers returns to the Steelers in 2026.
“When Mike McCarthy got hired, I know for a fact that hire was not about luring Rodgers back. But it did increase the chances of Rodgers coming back,” Garafolo said Thursday on Good Morning Football. “I don’t know if it’s a slam dunk, based on some of the conversations that I’ve had. I’m sure the Steelers would like some clarity, before they get to the draft.”
Pittsburgh is already getting a lot of criticism for waiting on Rodgers again. Despite the first wave of free agency ending not too long ago. A wave that saw the likes of Kyler Murray, Tua Tagovailoa and Malik Willis all find new homes, with the Steelers showing no interest.
If Rodgers does not re-sign with the Steelers, some insiders are throwing out Kirk Cousins as an option, though he’s far from an exciting one. The longer the Steelers wait, more and more quarterbacks are going to find new homes. Even Joe Flacco agreed to a deal yesterday to return to Cincinnati.
With the 21st overall pick, the Steelers might have a chance at Ty Simpson. But some insiders are less optimistic about the Steelers drafting a quarterback so early. They have met with a couple, but with three third-round picks, it might make sense to draft that position later and take another position of need earlier.
The Steelers have Will Howard, whom they’re very high on. If Aaron Rodgers doesn’t come back, at least that’s one name that carries some hope. But even if he’s who the Steelers want for their future, it would help to have Rodgers in the building to keep working with him. Unfortunately, the Steelers might not know whether that’s happening for a while longer.
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