Steelers Receive Urgent Warning About Aaron Rodgers From Former NFL GM

The Pittsburgh Steelers continue to find themselves in a waiting game surrounding Aaron Rodgers. Ahead of the 2025 season, this same waiting saga played out before Rodgers eventually signed with Pittsburgh and helped lead the team to an AFC North title. Now, with Mike McCarthy entering his first year as head coach, many believe Rodgers could give the Steelers one more season and return as their starting quarterback in 2026. When Rodgers first joined the Steelers ahead of the 2025 season, he made it pretty clear he was only going to play one season. 

While there has been no official resolution, speculation has only continued to build as the offseason moves forward. Rodgers’ familiarity with McCarthy from their long run together with the Green Bay Packers is one of the biggest reasons many around the league see a reunion in Pittsburgh as a realistic possibility. That, coupled with the fact that Rodgers helped lead Pittsburgh to 10 wins in 2025. For the Steelers, bringing back a veteran quarterback who already knows the system could provide much-needed stability heading into a transition year.

That urgency was the focus of former NFL executive Mike Tannenbaum, who recently weighed in on the situation during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show. From his perspective, the Steelers should already be operating with a clear sense of direction if Rodgers is truly part of their plans. The longer things remain unsettled, the more it impacts not just the quarterback position, but the rest of the roster trying to prepare for the season. Tannenbaum believes he's hurting new arrivals such as Michael Pittman and Rico Dowdle by not giving a clear answer.

"If he’s going to play in Pittsburgh, there should be a sense of urgency," Tannenbaum said while speaking on The Pat McAfee Show on Wednesday. "He’s going to be 43 in December. We know he is closer to the end than the beginning. If he is there, that means everybody else has to be there. He knows the offense because he has been with McCarthy for a long time out in Green Bay, but there are players like Michael Pittman and Rico Dowdle. They would benefit from being around Aaron."

Khan and McCarthy spoke with Tannenbaum during the 2026 NFL Draft, which was of course hosted in the Steel City of Pittsburgh. 

Tannenbaum revealed that they did not seem the least bit worried about the quarterback situation, and that has been consistent with their attitude all offseason. However, he believes they should be concerned.

"I am assuming this is not an if, but when," Tannenbaum said. "If I were Omar Khan and Mike McCarthy, we saw them at your event, and they certainly didn’t seem worried about it. But boy, if I were them, let’s get this thing signed and let’s get rolling."

As the Steelers continue navigating the uncertainty at quarterback, the organization’s calm public stance stands in contrast to the concerns being raised outside the building. While Khan and McCarthy appear confident in their direction, the ongoing lack of clarity only fuels further speculation about what the team’s final plan will ultimately look like.

Steelers Still Waiting On Aaron Rodgers

For now, Pittsburgh remains in a holding pattern, balancing patience with pressure as the offseason unfolds. Whether that confidence pays off or becomes a missed opportunity will likely depend on how quickly the Steelers are willing to move once a decision becomes unavoidable.

What is clear, however, is that the conversation around Rodgers and the quarterback position is not going away anytime soon, and every passing week only raises the stakes heading toward training camp. While the wait on Rodgers continues, the hype is building around young QBs Drew Allar and Will Howard.

Please feel free to share your Steelers takes and thoughts with me on X (@anthonyghalkias) and consider following for more Steelers-related content and discussion. I read and respond. 

#SteelerNation