The Pittsburgh Steelers are still awaiting a decision from 42-year-old quarterback Aaron Rodgers. But based on first-year head coach Mike McCarthy’s latest comments, conversations between Rodgers and the Steelers are happening weekly and the two sides are in a good place.
“I’ve talked to Aaron regularly and we’ll continue to do so, and we’re just working through it,” McCarthy said Monday on The Pat McAfee Show from the NFL owners meetings in Arizona, according to video via the show’s YouTube page. “And when it’s time to fully address it, we will. But it’s a process that he’s going through and I’m comfortable with it.
“But we’ve had very, very positive conversations on a weekly basis.”
"I've talked to Aaron Rodgers regularly and we will continue to do so..
It's a process that he's going thru and we've had very positive conversations on a weekly basis"
Coach McCarthy #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/UNo9a1xpgg
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) March 30, 2026
The Steelers, particularly GM Omar Khan, stated earlier in the offseason that the belief was things wouldn’t drag out with Rodgers like they did last offseason, insinuating the franchise expected an answer from the future Hall of Famer sooner than later.
The new league year is now nearly three weeks old, and Rodgers still hasn’t made a decision one way or the other. The last time he appeared on McAfee’s Show in mid March, Rodgers stated that the didn’t have a deadline from the franchise, nor did he have a contract offer.
The Steelers have left the door open for Rodgers to return, and the hiring of McCarthy to replace Mike Tomlin only increased the likelihood that Rodgers returns. Add in the fact that McCarthy hired a number of coaches to his first staff in Pittsburgh that know Rodgers well — like offensive line coach James Campen, offensive coordinator Brian Angelichio and senior assistant Frank Cignetti Jr. — and all signs seem to indicate Rodgers will run it back one more year.
“Oh yeah, he talks to the coaches that are there and there’s a lot of very positive, healthy communication going on,” McCarthy added.
The belief right now is that Rodgers will inform the Steelers of his decision before the 2026 NFL Draft in late April.
Chances are, if he does re-sign, he won’t be back around the team until minicamp, considering he never did do much with OTAs late in his career in Green Bay or in New York. He’s familiar with the offense under McCarthy, so there might not be a huge need for him to be there right away.
But hopefully a decision one way or the other is coming soon and the storyline of will he or won’t he with Rodgers disappears.
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