PITTSBURGH — Aaron Rodgers has his own timeline for deciding on his playing status with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2026. The new NFL league year starts in just a few days, but the 42-year-old quarterback is playing things slow as he decides on season 22.
While Rodgers has made no decision and stated that there have not been any serious contract talks with the Steelers, he made his feelings about the organization’s new coaching hire perfectly clear.
Rodgers appeared on The Pat McAfee Show recently and was nothing but complimentary about new Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy, who coached him for 13 seasons with the Green Bay Packers.
“I loved my time with Mike,” he said. “Obviously there are times, where like a big brother, sometimes you love him, sometimes you’re pissed at him. But deep down, there’s so much love for Mike and appreciation for the time we spent together.”
The Steelers quarterback situation becomes even more complicated with this update from Rodgers. The assumption since the team was eliminated in the Wild Card round of the playoffs was that Rodgers wanted to return for a second season in Pittsburgh.
That certainly isn’t the case from Rodgers’ comments. He downplayed any sure bets regarding 2026. Speaking about his status, he declared himself a free agent after talking with McCarthy and general manager Omar Khan. Contrary to previous reports that the organization imposed a deadline for his decision or that a contract was on the table, his update suggested the two sides are very far apart.
“Talked to Mike,” he said. “Talked to Omar. No deadline. No contract offer or anything. Nothing that I’m having to debate between. I’m a free agent.”
One option that suddenly appears more likely to occur is the selection of a quarterback in the 2026 NFL Draft. The team interviewed four quarterbacks at the NFL Combine: Ty Simpson from Alabama, Drew Allar from Penn State, Miami Hurricanes QB Carson Beck and LSU standout Garrett Nussmeier.
Those interviews felt like courtesies on the Steelers’ part, but suddenly they feel like meaningful meetings. Especially when it comes to Simpson, who is the second-highest QB in the draft class. He’s expected to go in the first round, and many project him to go to the Steelers with pick No. 21. Does this update from Rodgers increase the likelihood of a quarterback selection in the upcoming draft?
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