Dan Orlovsky isn’t mincing words. Hiring Mike McCarthy and reuniting him with Aaron Rodgers will do nothing to help the Pittsburgh Steelers’ long-term goals. A point he made crystal clear Thursday.

“Hiring Mike McCarthy and bringing Aaron back would be the worst decision Pittsburgh could make,” Orlovsky said on ESPN’s Get Up. “The worst.”

McCarthy is considered a real possibility to succeed Mike Tomlin. In turn, that would increase the currently near-zero chance Rodgers comes back in 2026. Rodgers and McCarthy worked together for a decade in Green Bay and won a Super Bowl together. While reports hinted at a strong rift at the end of their tenure, Adam Schefter noted Thursday that their relationship is stronger than many think.

“I believe there’s a respect there between the two men. And I believe that they would be open to working with one another,” Schefter said.

Rodgers himself dismissed those reports in 2019, calling it a “smear attack” by talking to players with “an agenda.”

For Orlovsky, it’s a path the Steelers can’t consider.

“To hire Mike McCarthy and bring Aaron back is going to place you quite literally in the same position you are in right now in January of 2027,” he said.

Meaning, the Steelers may again tread water on the way to an 8-10 win season, giving them a middle-of-the-road 2027 draft pick that may cause them to miss out on a top quarterback prospect. Orlovsky panned the Steelers for taking the same approach in 2025, though failing to secure a top pick in the 2026 class won’t cause the franchise to lose out on a blue-chip passer; this year’s class lacks any depth at quarterback.

Bringing Rodgers back would offer continuity. A bridge in a year where there are few other options. But it’s doubtful Pittsburgh will get anything different than what it’s experienced the last 10 years, making it easy to question the incentive of linking the two again.

Hiring McCarthy also provides no guarantee of a Rodgers return. He could still easily choose retirement. It’s the path he appeared to be leaning by the end of the season. And to state the obvious, Pittsburgh’s next head coach hire can’t be so shortsighted to focus solely on 2026’s outcomes. It must be long-term.