Steelers reportedly think Aaron Rodgers will do this for 2026 season

For the second straight offseason, whether or not quarterback Aaron Rodgers will play for the Pittsburgh Steelers is the biggest storyline hovering over the franchise. 

Publicly, Steelers general manager Omar Khan and recently hired head coach Mike McCarthy have insisted on multiple occasions that they want Rodgers to run it back with the club for another campaign. On Monday, Steelers reporter Mike DeFabo of The Athletic offered an update regarding how Khan and McCarthy believe the saga will end this time around.

Steelers "think" Aaron Rodgers is ready to confirm this decision

"The best way to describe the Steelers’ feelings: They think Rodgers is going to return for 2026, but until he gives them a definitive answer, they can’t speak in certain terms," DeFabo explained.

During the NFL Scouting Combine, Khan said that he "wouldn't necessarily classify it as a worst-case scenario" if Rodgers retires or decides to join a different team. However, some members of the football community have expressed doubts that Khan and McCarthy are as high on 2025 sixth-round draft pick Will Howard as has been said and written. 

Howard took no meaningful snaps as a rookie, so one would think the developmental project won't be ready to take over as a starter later this year. Meanwhile, the Steelers are among the teams that have been linked with signal-callers such as Kyler Murray of the Arizona Cardinals and Geno Smith of the Las Vegas Raiders. It's unlikely Pittsburgh would take a flier on a veteran quarterback if Rodgers makes it known he'll play next season, but the Steelers could be left without a legitimate QB1 on the roster if this situation drags on. 

Free agents can officially sign with teams once the new league year opens on March 11. 

When do Steelers expect to get an Aaron Rodgers answer? 

"Rodgers had positive exit meetings with the Steelers in January," DeFabo added. "In the weeks since, people on all levels of the organization — players, coaches and top decision-makers — have maintained consistent communication with the quarterback. The Steelers believe they’ll get an answer from Rodgers in the next few weeks. General manager Omar Khan suggested as much publicly, and a number of other team sources indicated the entire organization is under that same assumption." 

A timeline of "a few weeks" could result in the Steelers missing out on some quarterbacks in the event that Rodgers rejects returning to the club for another campaign. For better or for worse, it sounds like that's a risk Khan and McCarthy are willing to take.