The Pittsburgh Steelers are patiently waiting to see whether or not quarterback Aaron Rodgers will return for the 2026 season.
The clock is ticking for a Rodgers decision, especially with the NFL Draft just a few weeks away. On Friday, Steelers insider Brooke Pryor revealed the team’s plans if Rodgers does not return.
“I think it’s a very real possibility that they could draft a quarterback, maybe not in the first round,” Pryor said.
Pryor said Carson Beck and Drew Allar fit with what the new head coach, Mike McCarthy, could be looking for in his next quarterback.
What happens if Aaron Rodgers doesn't return next season? 👀@bepryor breaks down the Steelers' contingency plans ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/rVOyCxr26L
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) April 3, 2026
Kirk Cousins had been linked to the Steelers, but he signed a deal with the Las Vegas Raiders on Thursday, which changes things up from Pittsburgh’s perspective.
Steelers owner Art Rooney II said during the NFL Annual League Meeting that the estimated timeline for a Rodgers decision was before the NFL Draft, so it should be coming soon.
But, the Steelers need a backup plan, and while McCarthy has raved about former Ohio State QB Will Howard, the draft has some options to add talent to the room.
McCarthy did say he has been talking to Rodgers “regularly” and the conversations have been “very positive,” but nobody knows what the decision will be from the veteran signal-caller.
If Rodgers doesn’t return and decides to retire, the Steelers make sense for a QB in Day 2 or Day 3 of the upcoming NFL Draft.
