Aaron Rodgers leaves Steelers hanging as Mike McCarthy enjoys ‘fun’ meeting with first-round QB prospect

The Pittsburgh Steelers are on the clock in eight days and there is still no sign of an end to the Aaron Rodgers saga.

In a carbon copy of the last offseason, the veteran quarterback is keeping fans guessing over whether he has another year in him.

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Rodgers led the Steelers into the playoffs and his form was strong enough to see his value jump from $10 million into the $20-30 million range.

It appears to be a price Pittsburgh bosses are willing to pay and the future Hall of Famer’s old coach Mike McCarthy has been brought in as Mike Tomlin‘s replacement.

The duo won a Super Bowl in Green Bay, but McCarthy knows the quarterback room will make or break his latest project and is trying not to put all his eggs in one basket.

He has spoken highly of 2025 sixth-round pick Will Howard at any given opportunity.

“If I was drafting players that year, he wouldn’t be around in the fifth or sixth round. I valued him higher than that,” McCarthy said at the NFL‘s league meetings. “I think he’s a real prospect as a starting quarterback.”

Howard has spent a year learning from one of the best in the game, but huge question marks remain over his long-term viability.

McCarthy has also been doing his due diligence on a quarterback class that is fairly thin behind No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter told the UnSportsmanLike podcast that Rodgers returning was the most likely scenario, but that the odds on Pittsburgh drafting a passer were shortening.

“It shouldn’t be that hard. I think people still believe that he’s coming back, and people still are expecting him to be the quarterback of the Steelers,” Schefter said. “And maybe next week he’ll just announce he’s coming back.

“But guess what? The draft is next week. So now if the draft comes and you’re the Pittsburgh Steelers, are you talking more about quarterbacks?… I think you are.”

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Steelers linked with Ty Simpson

Should Rodgers decide not to return, there is a potential option in play with the Steelers’ first-round pick.

“If they don’t have an answer, do they talk about Ty Simpson at 21?” Schefter asked.

Considered the only QB outside of Mendoza likely to crack the first round, Simpson is a raw talent with plenty of upside.

The Steelers have already met with him and Simpson raved about McCarthy at February’s Scouting Combine.

“We were just going back and forth and by the time that we were finished, it felt like five minutes just because of how much fun we had,” he said. “So, I love Coach McCarthy, I love the Steelers, I love those guys and it was super exciting to get to know them.”

Pittsburgh has not hosted Simpson on a top-30 visit, though, which either suggests confidence in Rodgers’ return or another Plan B catching their eye.

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Carson Beck and Cole Payton should be available far later in the draft and had visits in March.

Taylen Green is another projected mid-late round pick and spoke to the Steelers on April 13, while Drew Allar snuck in a late meeting before the April 15 deadline.

The veteran market is thin on the ground as most teams complete their business, meaning the Steelers are likely staring at a developmental year if Rodgers walks away.

There are other holes to fill with the first-round pick, including wide receiver and offensive line.

Guard Olaivavega Ioane is a regular name mocked to the Steelers, along with wideouts Omar Cooper Jr. and KC Concepcion.

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