Aaron Rodgers Gets Honest About Steelers’ QB Decision

Aaron Rodgers finally spoke Wednesday about the Pittsburgh Steelers’ crowded quarterback group after staying quiet for weeks while fans and reporters debated the roster.

Head coach Mike McCarthy chose to keep four quarterbacks heading into the regular season. Rodgers, the veteran starter, offered his take after practice.

“I was thinking it was a possibility, but I don’t think I’ve been on a roster with four quarterbacks. When you do that, you’re taking away a spot from another place on the team,” Rodgers said.

“But at the same time, if the best 53 are going to make it, I think those four are part of the best 53. So I’m happy for all those guys. Obviously, looking to the future, those other three guys are going to have a chance when I’m done. And with the growth you saw with Will [Howard], and obviously, with Drew [Allar] being drafted so high but also playing well in camp, I’m not surprised at all and I’m excited about those guys’ future.”

Rodgers is entering what he has said will be his last NFL season and his second with the Steelers. He said he understood why McCarthy made the call even if it felt unusual.

Keeping four signal-callers means one fewer roster spot for another position. Rodgers acknowledged that reality right away. He also said the four players earned their places among the best 53 on the team.

The group includes Rodgers, veteran Mason Rudolph, 2026 third-round pick Drew Allar and 2025 sixth-round selection Will Howard. McCarthy has not publicly detailed every reason, but the setup gives the team options if the starter gets hurt.

Rodgers put up solid numbers last season. He completed 65.7 percent of his passes for 3,322 yards, 24 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Those figures kept Pittsburgh competitive.

Age remains a factor. Rodgers has a long career behind him, and no player lasts forever. McCarthy has to plan for the possibility that Rodgers could miss time or see his production dip.

Rudolph has started games before and given the Steelers a reliable backup. Without him, the next man up would be a quarterback who has never taken a regular-season snap. That risk is hard to ignore for a team hoping to reach the playoffs.

Allar arrived as a high draft pick and showed well in training camp. Howard also improved enough that the coaching staff did not want to let him go. Rodgers noted both developments and said he is excited about what they can become after he is gone.

The depth chart for now has Rodgers as the starter, Rudolph as the primary backup, Allar as the developmental piece and Howard as a player McCarthy is not ready to cut. That order could shift as the season unfolds.

Everything stays week to week. The Steelers will go as far as Rodgers can take them. If he stays healthy and sharp, the extra quarterbacks may see limited action. If not, the room will get a real test.

Pittsburgh opens the 2026 season at home on Sept. 13 against the Atlanta Falcons. Attention will quickly turn back to how Rodgers performs once the games start counting.

For now, the veteran has made his position clear. He is fine with the four-quarterback setup, happy for his teammates and focused on the present while recognizing the future belongs to the younger players.

McCarthy’s decision is set, and Rodgers has given it his public blessing.