Like last offseason, the Pittsburgh Steelers are waiting for Aaron Rodgers to make his decision on what he wants to do for the 2026 season.
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Following a two-year disappointing stint with the New York Jets, Rodgers played much better for the Steelers last season, throwing for 3,322 yards, 24 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Pittsburgh won the AFC North.
Per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, Pittsburgh wants Rodgers to return next season. However, the team plans to see if 2025 sixth-round pick Will Howard can win the starting job in the offseason if Rodgers goes elsewhere or retires.
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“Per a source with knowledge of the situation, the Steelers definitely want quarterback Aaron Rodgers to return for 2026,” Florio wrote. “It’s not a ploy to make Rodgers think they want him back while hoping he doesn’t return. They want him to return.
“And here’s the kicker. They’re in no hurry. While they don’t anticipate that the situation will take quite as long as it did last year to resolve itself, they’re content to focus on developing second-year quarterback Will Howard. With Rodgers not there for the offseason program, Howard has a chance to become QB1 over Mason Rudolph.”
One key word not mentioned in Florio’s report: Draft.
The Steelers could have serious competition this offseason to land Rodgers. Last week, Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones tried to recruit his former Green Bay Packers teammate to join him in 2026.
“I like him in Minnesota,” Jones said on “Nightcap” on Thursday. “That’s my dog. What he brings to a locker room, that leadership, it’s a standard. If you ain’t in your playbook, oh, you ain’t seeing the field–he’s going to test you.
“He’s going to throw some signals out there, and he’s going to see if you really care about it. As a player, I love that because I’m in my books. I’m making an effort. Like, I came from Utah from nothing. Like, so I had to earn that. And when you do it the right way, and it’s noticed, it’s refreshing.”
After seeing their former quarterback Sam Darnold win the Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks, the Vikings might decide to go with Rodgers over third-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy next season.
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