"Paid A Visit To Aaron Rodgers": NFL Insider Thinks Steelers' Mike McCarthy May Be In Close Contact With The QB

Fans of the Pittsburgh Steelers are excited for a new era. Head Coach Mike McCarthy is coming to town with the goal of winning immediately, rather than starting some kind of rebuild. The team has made ideal moves throughout the 2026 offseason, but there has yet to be a decision made by Aaron Rodgers on whether he wants to come back to play or not. The determining factor on whether or not the organization can repeat as AFC North champions may or may depend on what the signal-caller ends up doing. No one is quite sure when an answer will come.

Back in the 2025 offseason, Rodgers made a sneaky trip to the Steel City in March, only for him to wait until June to actually put pen to paper. It feels as if the situation could once again be trending in that direction. The relationship between McCarthy and Rodgers is not something that football fans are unfamiliar with. The duo had a rather incredible run with the Green Bay Packers.

After Mike Tomlin resigned, it seemed like a given that the veteran quarterback would not return to play for the Steelers. That dynamic immediately shifted when McCarthy was hired to run the locker room. He might have been one of the very few individuals that could have been hired and then enticed Rodgers to be under center for the 2026 campaign.

On a segment that was posted to the NFL on NBC YouTube Channel, NFL insider Mike Florio, who is constantly talking about Rodgers, went into detail about what he thinks may be going on behind the scenes. In 2025, Rodgers ended up traveling to the Steel City. In 2026, it's very possible that a secret meeting has already taken place on the West Coast.

"McCarthy's been hop-scotching the country. I wonder if he's paid a visit to Aaron Rodgers in California," Florio stated. "Last year, it was Rodgers going to Pittsburgh because that was all new to him. This year, I think somebody's gotta go kiss the ring in Southern California or wherever Rodgers currently is. I wouldn't be surprised if McCarthy has already gone to see him and nobody's talking about it because Rodgers obsessively wants no one talking about those things."

This is speculative from Florio, but he is a well-known reporter that has plenty of connections across the league. Rodgers typically is able to keep things under wraps, and if McCarthy did want to visit him so the two could talk about the plans for the 2026 season, it's certainly possible that it flew under the radar. All signs continue to point to the future Hall of Famer returning, whether the duo has met in person or not.

The Steelers' options at the quarterback position are very minimal. There is no real way to tell what the future holds; however, it appears as if there will at least be some continuity at the position in 2026. At this point, Rodgers deciding to retire would be rather shocking. 

He remains in the decision-making mode, but no other team has been reported to desire his services. If he wants to play, it's going to be with the Steelers, and many are leaning toward him suiting up in the Black and Gold for at least one more year.

Steelers Have Absolutely No Reason To Rush Rodgers' Decision

It's always possible that Rodgers has already told the Pittsburgh brass of his intentions to play for another year. A contract wouldn't be complicated to work out, as it would likely look similar to the one he signed in 2025. Without any other teams fully pursuing him, the last thing the organization would want to do would be to upset him by forcing his hand. The sides likely remain in contact — specifically McCarthy and Rodgers — but fans will continue to have to wait for a final decision.

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