Pittsburgh Steelers’ first-year head coach Mike McCarthy previously stated that he didn’t want Aaron Rodgers at Organized Team Activities to free up reps for second-year pro Will Howard and rookie Drew Allar, but according to a report from NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero, that won’t be the case.
Rodgers, who reportedly came to an agreement with the Steelers Saturday night on a one-year deal, will be at the start of OTAs Monday on the South Side.
“Aaron Rodgers is expected to practice Monday when OTAs begin and through the rest of the spring. He’s in,” Pelissero tweeted moments ago.
Aaron Rodgers is expected to practice Monday when OTAs begin and through the rest of the spring. He’s in. https://t.co/I1ucTBKqOR
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) May 16, 2026
With Rodgers now in the mix, the Steelers will have four quarterbacks present at OTAs starting Monday at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex on the South Side. While McCarthy did state earlier in the offseason that he discussed OTAs with Rodgers and made clear he preferred the 42-year-old quarterback wasn’t there, Rodgers will be present.
“Mason [Rudolph] and Will [Howard] have been there the whole time, and frankly, I’ve discussed this with Aaron because it was the same when he was younger. I prefer the veteran not to be there at this particular time,” McCarthy said of Rodgers potentially at OTAs during an appearance on the Rich Eisen Show in late April. “Because it gives us the opportunity to be fully focused on our two younger quarterbacks. Will and Mason have done a great job. We had a chance to get on the field Monday and Tuesday in our veteran minicamp, and it was great work.
“This time of the year is a chance for our younger players to get those reps.”
It’s an understandable answer from McCarthy, considering he has to get the younger quarterbacks like Mason Rudolph, Howard, and now Drew Allar up to speed in his system and with the terminology. That doesn’t have to happen with Rodgers.
How much he’ll do on the field during the first week of voluntary OTAs remains to be seen. He’s familiar with McCarthy’s scheme and has worked extensively with many of the new offensive coaches, including offensive coordinator Brian Angelichio, during his time in Green Bay.
But his presence in Pittsburgh starting Monday will be huge for a young offense that is transitioning into a new system, one that Rodgers knows inside and out, even if he hasn’t played in that system since 2019. We’ll see how the snap distribution in OTAs plays out at the quarterback position. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Rodgers take very few reps, instead taking a back seat to help the other three quarterbacks get comfortable with the scheme and terminology.
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