Steelers set clear Aaron Rodgers deadline powered by Mike McCarthy’s plan for QB room

The Pittsburgh Steelers will not wait forever on Aaron Rodgers.

Last offseason, before he landed in the Steel City, the former Super Bowl champion took his sweet time to confirm he would return for his 21st NFL season.

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It was not until June 2025 that Rodgers signed his one-year, $13.65 million contract with the Steelers.

He led Pittsburgh to the playoffs once more, but the season ended in disappointment at the hands of the Houston Texans in the wild-card round.

In the weeks that have followed, there has been plenty of speculation over Rodgers’ future.

The 42-year-old veteran could choose to return, and reunite with new Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy — the pair won Super Bowl XLV together for the Green Bay Packers — or he could choose to call it a day.

Of course, there is plenty to mull for an NFL great.

But according to one insider, he will be pushed for an answer ‘sooner rather than later’.

Steelers set Aaron Rodgers decision timeline

Speaking on ESPN’s SportsCenter, Steelers reporter Brooke Pryor noted that fans should ‘pencil in’ a Rodgers return, and that any decision could actually come in the next few weeks.

“I get the sense that he is more likely to come back than not but I would write that in pencil,” Pryor said.

“I would not write that in pen.

“At the very least, erasable pen because you’re not going to believe it until you hear it from Aaron Rodgers. The decision is his, and his alone.

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“The Steelers, I would guess, would like a decision sooner rather than later going into the NFL Combine.

“Look, it feels like time’s kind of a flat circle. We were in this position a year ago.”

The NFL Combine will take place in Indianapolis from February 23 through March 2, meaning Rodgers could be pushed to clarify his future, at least internally, much sooner than once expected.

Mike McCarthy ‘big fan’ of Steelers backup

Pryor went on to drop another interesting nugget, and noted that new HC McCarthy has a ‘plan’ for the quarterback room.

“The difference (this year), is that they have got Will Howard on the roster,” she continued.

“They drafted him last year in the sixth round. One of the reasons they hired Mike McCarthy is because he laid out a plan to develop Will Howard.

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“Mason Rudolph is also in the quarterback room, but Mike McCarthy is a big fan of Will Howard.

“It sounds like there is a lot of research and time that is going to go into his development.

“By the way, Mike McCarthy retained Tom Arth, the quarterback’s coach from last year, and that kind of continuity is going to be huge in helping Will Howard grow into his full potential.”

It is not surprising to hear that the Steelers envision Howard as the future of their franchise over Rudolph.

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Despite suffering a fractured hand, which saw him land on injured reserve for the first 10 games of his rookie season, the college football National Champion was able to learn and develop behind veteran Rodgers.

That experience behind an NFL great will no doubt be invaluable for a young star that threw for 4,010 yards and 35 touchdowns in his one season with Ohio State.

En-route to National Championship glory, Howard led the Buckeyes to a school-record 14 wins and also completed 309 of his 423 passes, which was another record for the program.

The Steelers, and their new HC, clearly see the potential Howard possesses — and the team will hope to know soon if he will get one more season behind Rodgers.

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