Aaron Rodgers has decided to run it back in 2026 … in multiple ways. Rodgers will reportedly reunite with the Pittsburgh Steelers for the 2026 NFL season on a one-year deal, according to multiple reports.
With the move, Rodgers will also reunite with Mike McCarthy, who was Rodgers’ head coach for 13 seasons when both men were with the Green Bay Packers. Rodgers is reportedly expected to report to Steelers’ OTAs, which begin on Monday.
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Rodgers’ return — to the NFL, the Steelers and to McCarthy — was far from guaranteed. The long-time veteran has flirted with retirement for multiple offseasons now, and there was no guarantee he would want to suit up for a 22nd NFL season.
When former Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin decided to step down, it seemed even more likely Rodgers would ride off into the sunset, or at least try to latch on with a different franchise if he wanted to keep playing. Tomlin was reportedly a major reason Rodgers signed with the Steelers ahead of the 2025 season. With Tomlin gone, it felt like the team was also acknowledging that Rodgers was gone, too.
The hiring of McCarthy, however, apparently opened the door for a reunion. When asked about Rodgers, McCarthy had nothing but good things to say about his former quarterback. But even that wasn’t a certainty. Toward the end of McCarthy’s run in Green Bay, there were reports of a massive disconnect between Rodgers and the coach.
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Either time heals all wounds or those reports were overblown, because Rodgers and McCarthy apparently decided one more year together was worth it.
It’s tough to argue against this partnership, considering how things went the first time the two were together. Rodgers blossomed into a superstar early in McCarthy’s tenure with the team. The duo led the Packers to the playoffs in nine of their 13 years together. Rodgers won two MVP awards over that period. The duo also combined to win a Super Bowl, taking down the Steelers in Super Bowl XLV, and made two other trips to the NFC championship game.
But expecting that same success in 2026 would be foolish for multiple reasons. Rodgers — while still capable of putting up solid numbers — is now 42 and is not putting up the same stats he posted during his prime. Though his stats still look decent, he’s unlikely to keep playing much longer. So, even if things go well in 2026, the partnership seems destined to end before long.
McCarthy, meanwhile, is now on his third NFL head coaching job. He’s experienced a ton of regular-season success with the Packers and Dallas Cowboys, but has developed a reputation for collapsing in the playoffs. The Packers may have won a Super Bowl with McCarthy, but there’s an argument that the team should have won more, considering Rodgers’ excellence. McCarthy often gets the blame for that … and he didn’t exactly extinguish that narrative when he was with the Cowboys.
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Despite all that, Rodgers may still be the best option at quarterback for the Steelers in 2026.
For the second straight year, Rodgers gives Pittsburgh the best chance to win games immediately. If this is the year Father Time decides to rear his head, then the Steelers will likely secure a high draft pick and take their quarterback of the future in 2027. And if Rodgers puts up solid numbers, it gives McCarthy and the Steelers more time to develop a potential starter down the road.
This breaking news story will be updated.
