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Steelers owner gives estimated timeline for an Aaron Rodgers decision

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports
By Matt Wadleigh | Last updated Mar 31, 2026 8:32 PM ET

Once again, nobody knows whether or not Aaron Rodgers will play in the 2026 NFL season or head to retirement.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are anxiously waiting for the answer, but owner Art Rooney II said on Tuesday that he expects a decision from Rodgers sometime before the 2026 NFL Draft.

Steelers owner and team president Art Rooney II said he anticipates a decision from Aaron Rodgers will come before the draft.
— Mike DeFabo (@MikeDeFabo) March 31, 2026

Rodgers had everybody waiting a long time last offseason before eventually signing a one-year contract with Pittsburgh in June.

After the 2025 season came to an end, reports came out that the expectation was that Rodgers would return and play for the Steelers in 2026. On top of that, former Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy was hired as Mike Tomlin’s replacement, and he and Rodgers spent a long time together in Green Bay.

If Rodgers heads for retirement or if he decides not to play in Pittsburgh, the only other quarterbacks on the roster for McCarthy are Will Howard and Mason Rudolph.

Kirk Cousins has been named as an option, and the Steelers could also address the hole in the draft, but the hope is that Aaron Rodgers returns for one more season, and it sure sounds like the ownership is expecting some sort of finality soon.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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