The Pittsburgh Steelers are stuck in the exact same situation they were in last year: waiting for Aaron Rodgers to announce his decision to either sign a one-year deal or retire. Previously, General Manager Omar Khan promised that this would not go on as long as it did in 2025, but with every passing day, it becomes more and more likely that he will be proven wrong. Multiple deadlines have been set for him to make up his mind. Despite him not choosing before then, Pittsburgh is still giving the quarterback all the time he wants.
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Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) during 2025 training camp in Latrobe, PA.
During his pre-draft press conference, Khan spoke on his own about the whole Rodgers situation, and his answer is not one that fans want to hear.
"We've had some great communication with Aaron," Khan said. "Nothing's changed, but it's all been positive and good. I said this to [the media] in March when we met: he knows how we feel about him and we know how he feels about us."
Khan opened up the press conference by announcing the fact that there is no news on Rodgers, and he has still not made his decision despite the 2026 NFL Draft being right around the corner. Like with 2025, there are only two quarterbacks currently on the roster with a third one likely coming via a mid-to-late selection. After that, the veteran passer will probably show up in the middle of the offseason program when he feels like it.
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Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers throws during practice at a June 12 minicamp in Pittsburgh.
In 2025, Rodgers showed up for mandatory minicamp, as that was the very last workout of the offseason. It would be fair to assume that would be when he joins the team in 2026, but that phase is right in the middle of Organized Team Activities (OTAs). The two most likely scenarios with that are he returns for minicamp like he did previously, or he waits until after the offseason program is done before signing.
Steelers Are Already Putting Backup Plan Into Action
For now, former sixth-round pick Will Howard has pole position of the very limited quarterback room. With another workout happening on Monday, he is currently slated as QB1 of the Steelers. If and when Rodgers returns, he will likely move to the primary backup role while competing with Mason Rudolph and whichever rookie gets drafted for that spot on the team throughout training camp and preseason.
At the very least, this will give Howard the ability to develop more chemistry and relationships with the starters on the team until Rodgers returns. It also allows the coaching staff to truly gauge his leadership abilities and how he handles himself when he's not running scout team. He has received plenty of praise, but it's easy to look good when you're working with and against third-string units.
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Steelers quarterback Will Howard gets ready to unleash a pass as he runs through a drill as the team works out during the annual Friday Night Lights practice in Latrobe, PA.
In fact, many fans have shown their desires to let Howard start the season. The idea behind that is he is still young and unknown, so the 2026 season would be a good way to see if he has what it takes to be the long-term starter or not. The information the team has on him, the better they can judge how to attack 2027 and beyond, as everyone knows what kind of passer Rodgers is at this point
On the flip side, the Steelers are extremely hellbent on keeping Rodgers around because they believe his football IQ gives them the best chance to win. At the very least, he could be a quality mentor to guys like Howard to help the team in the future. They believe age and regressing talents don't mean a lot if he knows where to put the ball and how to manipulate a defense.
What do you think about Khan's lack of news on Rodgers' decision? Let us know on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.
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