Andrew Buller-Russ
What’s going on with Aaron Rodgers? Does anyone ever really know?
This time, we just want to know whether the 42-year-old is planning to return for a 22nd NFL season. If so, will it be with the Pittsburgh Steelers again? That’s the current expectation, but what’s taking so long?
Well, not even the Steelers seem to know where the future Hall of Fame quarterback’s head is at. Yet, they likely want an answer from the four-time NFL MVP soon.
According to team owner Art Rooney II, the Steelers expect an answer from Rodgers on whether he’s returning, retiring, or signing elsewhere before the 2026 NFL Draft kicks off on April 23
“I still expect that,” Rooney told Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “I expect we’ll get an answer before the draft. When I talked to him and Omar [Khan] talked to him, he told us he wasn’t going to take as long this year as he did last year [to make a decision]. I’m not 100 percent sure what that means, but I expect something before the draft.”
The sooner the better for the Steelers. If Rodgers leaves them high and dry, they’ll need to make other plans at the QB position. A QB room composed of Mason Rudolph and Will Howard won’t get Mike McCarthy’s Steelers to the playoffs.
Of course, the Steelers could always use the 23rd overall pick on a QB like Ty Simpson, but with just one season of starting experience, he also might not be ready to start right away. The Steelers have a total of 12 selections, and they’ll likely use at least one selection on a QB. Yet, they still need an answer from Rodgers sooner or later.
Related: 2026 NFL Mock Draft: End of March Edition
