Maybe Steelers Are Planning Massive Aaron Rodgers Announcement

The Rodgers Timeline This Offseason

During the early stages of the offseason, in the aftermath of Mike Tomlin's decision to step away as head coach, the prevailing belief was that Rodgers was no longer an option for the Steelers.

That all changed once Pittsburgh hired Mike McCarthy, who coached Rodgers with the Green Bay Packers from 2006 to 2018, as Tomlin's successor in January.

From that point forward, it's more or less felt like Rodgers' return to the team was a formality. Whether that's the truth or not, it hasn't sped up the four-time MVP's process as a free agent, a story the Steelers are far too familiar with.

The expectation had originally been that Rodgers would inform the organization of his plans for the 2026 campaign by the time free agency rolled around in early March, but that didn't come to fruition.

Rodgers did, however, appear on McAfee's show around that time and stated that he hadn't yet received an offer from Pittsburgh, suggesting there hadn't been much progress in conversations between the two sides.

At the annual league meetings in late March, owner Art Rooney II shared that he was anticipating a resolution before the draft.

The clock is ticking, though, and it's been radio silence from Rodgers for over a month at this point with just a little over a week before the draft arrives.

What Happens if Steelers Have to Wait on Rodgers Again?

Pittsburgh was confident it would eventually land Rodgers last year, and that showed in its decision to not take a quarterback on either Day 1 or 2 of the 2025 NFL Draft, instead taking Will Howard in the sixth round.

The Steelers likely have an inclination of what direction Rodgers is leaning at this point, meaning they won't reach for a quarterback like Alabama's Ty Simpson in the first round if they know the former will be back in the fold.

If Rodgers decides he doesn't want to play anymore, though, than perhaps Pittsburgh will act a little more diligently in hopes of finding another signal caller to pair with Howard and Mason Rudolph.

It would be a surprise if Rodgers doesn't return, but the Steelers have to prepare for any outcome at this point considering they've backed themselves into a corner.