The Pittsburgh Steelers have their head coach in Mike McCarthy. They’re hard at work assembling the coaching staff under McCarthy. The next big question for the Steelers is who will be the starting quarterback in 2026? Will QB Aaron Rodgers be back, especially since he could reunite with his former head coach from the Green Bay Packers?
McCarthy said he’s spoken to Rodgers multiple times when he was a guest on Friday’s episode of the Pat McAfee Show. However, McCarthy wouldn’t say much more than that. So, will Rodgers be back in Pittsburgh for the 2026 season?
“I think he will be their starting quarterback, unless he comes to some kind of decision over the next month that he’s just done with football 100 percent,” beat writer Mark Kaboly said Friday on The PM Team. “This is him basically saying he’s coming back without him admitting he’s coming back. What I’ve heard a lot is they’re expecting him to come back… They are under the impression that he still wants to play.
“But until you sign on the dotted line, you just never know, especially with Aaron.”
On one hand, it makes some level of sense. The Steelers don’t have an immediate proven starter on the roster, nor do they have a path to a quarterback that most people would say is a future leader of the franchise. McCarthy repeatedly expressed his interest in working with QB Will Howard, but the Steelers only invested a sixth-round pick in him. It’s unlikely that Howard will be a high-level starting quarterback come Week 1.
If Rodgers is back and healthy, as Kaboly said, he’s the Steelers’ starting quarterback. Would Howard be better off if he started the entire season? Maybe. However, he could benefit from working with McCarthy (and having Rodgers teach him McCarthy’s system) without the pressure of starting.
McCarthy already expressed his interest and desire in having Rodgers back in the fold for next season. If Kaboly is right, there are plenty of people with the Steelers who expect Rodgers will be back, too.