The Pittsburgh Steelers still don’t know who their starting quarterback will be when the 2026 NFL season kicks off as Aaron Rodgers awaits his final decision.
“There’s been no deadline that’s been put in front of me,” Rodgers said earlier this offseason. “There’s no contract offer or anything, so there’s nothing that I’m having to debate between. I’m a free agent.”
Rodgers revealed he’s, “enjoying my time with my wife and enjoying this part of the off season, and I think there’s conversations to be had down the line, but right now, there hasn’t been any progressive conversations. I love Mike [McCarthy], and Mike and I have kept some contact over the years.”
With Rodgers in waiting, the Steelers were recently predicted to make a big quarterback move. ESPN’s Matt Miller predicted Pittsburgh will use its second round pick, No. 53, on former LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier.
“Aaron Rodgers hasn’t announced his 2026 plans, but the Steelers’ lack of urgency in free agency likely points to his return. But Rodgers is 42 years old, and there’s no clear-cut successor on the roster,” Miller said.
“Nussmeier is ideal for Mike McCarthy’s West Coast offense, with good arm talent and accuracy on the move that would allow him to thrive in a short-to-intermediate passing scheme.”
Viewed as a potential No. 1 pick before the 2025 college football season kicked off, Nussmeier struggled to live up to the hype. But he might be just what the Steelers need as a quarterback-in-waiting when Rodgers eventually decides to hang up his cleats – if he comes back to the Steelers in 2026, that is.
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