Steelers reporter pours cold water over this Aaron Rodgers, Mike McCarthy narrative

As Mike DeFabo of The Athletic mentioned, Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers recently revealed that he "encouraged" general manager Omar Khan to interview Mike McCarthy for the Steelers' head-coach opening after Mike Tomlin stepped down this past January. 

Thus, some understandably have assumed that the Steelers hired McCarthy largely to ensure that Rodgers would run it back with the team for one more season. During a Thursday appearance on Pittsburgh sports radio station 93.7 The Fan, Steelers reporter Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette was asked if Pittsburgh hired McCarthy because of Rodgers. 

Omar Khan has a long relationship with Mike McCarthy

"I don't think that's the case at all," Fittipaldo explained, per Joe Clark of Steelers Depot. "Omar Khan has known Mike McCarthy for longer than Aaron Rodgers. Omar Khan came up with Mike McCarthy back in their days in New Orleans."

As Chris Adamski noted for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Khan was employed in the New Orleans Saints' football operations department when McCarthy was serving as New Orleans' offensive coordinator in the early 2000s. McCarthy was later Rodgers' head coach when they were with the Green Bay Packers from 2006 through much of the 2018 season.

The relationship between Rodgers and McCarthy reportedly soured over the final campaigns of the coach's Green Bay tenure. However, both men have suggested on multiple occasions throughout this offseason that they are close once again. 

Aaron Rodgers didn't impact Steelers' Mike McCarthy decision?

"Omar and Mike have this long relationship," Fittipaldo continued. "I'm sure it didn't hurt that Aaron said, 'Pick his brain.' But, I think if the Steelers were gonna hire Mike McCarthy, Aaron's sentiments, good or bad, wouldn't have affected their decision, I don't think." 

Nothing that Fittipaldo or any other reporter says will prevent some outsiders from believing that people within the Steelers knew for months that Rodgers was always going to return to the club for one more season and that Rodgers basically helped pick Pittsburgh's current head coach. 

What's done is done, and Steelers ownership will now hope that McCarthy can lead the team to at least one playoff win this coming season and then help either 2025 rookie Will Howard or 2026 third-round draft choice Drew Allar become the club's next long-term franchise quarterback.