Rodgers Has No Deadline
Aaron Rodgers says there's "no deadline" for deciding whether he'll play for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2026. Despite helping the Steelers with 3,322 passing yards and a 24-7 TD-INT ratio last season, Rodgers remains undecided about another year. The recent hiring of coach Mike McCarthy by Pittsburgh hasn't influenced his decision timeline.
The reunion of Aaron Rodgers and Mike McCarthy in Pittsburgh marks a surprising turn in a relationship that spans nearly two decades and includes a Super Bowl victory. McCarthy was the head coach in Green Bay for 11 of Rodgers's seasons as a starter, a period where Rodgers won two of his four MVP awards. Their most significant achievement together was a 31-25 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLV, the only championship either has won since. Despite their shared success, which included eight consecutive playoff appearances from 2009-2016, their tenure in Green Bay ended after the 2018 season amid reports of friction between the two. Before landing in Pittsburgh, Rodgers's career took a tumultuous detour. After 18 seasons with the Packers, he was traded to the New York Jets in 2023. That chapter was disastrously cut short when he tore his Achilles tendon just four snaps into his debut, and his second season ended with a 5-12 record, leading to his release in February 2025. The potential 2026 season would be a capstone on a legendary career that includes being fifth all-time in career passing yards and fourth in passing touchdowns at the end of the 2025 season. His single season in Pittsburgh represented a significant comeback after his disappointing stint with the Jets. Despite past tensions, recent reports suggest the relationship between Rodgers and McCarthy is "better now than it ever was." Biographer Ian O'Connor noted that McCarthy played a key role in developing Rodgers from a "robotic" prospect into an all-time great, a contribution often overlooked.
