Mike McCarthy was officially introduced as the new head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers on Tuesday, and he shed some light on whom his quarterback might be in 2026.
McCarthy was asked if he is interested in bringing Aaron Rodgers back for another season. The new Steelers coach said he has already spoken with Rodgers and is “definitely” interested in having the quarterback return, but understands that Rodgers needs time to make that decision.
Mike McCarthy on if he'd like Aaron Rodgers back: "Definitely. I don't see why you wouldn't."
— Mike DeFabo (@MikeDeFabo) January 27, 2026
He has already spoken with Aaron. Said that he also understands the importance of time away before the QB makes a decision.
While the Steelers did not hire McCarthy to get Rodgers to come back, the coach’s presence could be a perk. McCarthy is seen as perhaps the only coach Rodgers might be willing to return for owing to their shared history with the Green Bay Packers.
The quarterback situation will be one of the key things for McCarthy to figure out now that he has the Pittsburgh job. The Steelers appear to like rookie Will Howard, but it might be a stretch to turn the franchise over to him next season. The Steelers are open about not wanting to rebuild, and keeping Rodgers around for one more year might be the easiest way to avoid that.
Rodgers threw for 3,322 yards with 24 touchdowns and 7 interceptions for the Steelers last season. He led them to a playoff berth, though they were smothered by the Houston Texans in the AFC Wild Card round.
