Key Takeaways
- Aaron Rodgers remains an unsigned free agent; the Steelers are waiting for his decision but have set no firm deadline.
- Team owner Art Rooney II hoped for an answer by the draft, yet GM Omar Khan and head coach Mike McCarthy stress there is no timeline and that communication has stayed positive.
- With Rodgers absent from voluntary minicamp, Mason Rudolph and second‑year QB Will Howard received the bulk of the quarterback reps, allowing them to sharpen footwork and scheme familiarity.
- McCarthy values quarterback depth, preferring three‑plus QBs on the roster and open to adding a fourth via the draft or practice squad.
- The Steelers have done extensive homework on the 2026 quarterback class, hosting in‑person visits with Drew Allar, Carson Beck, Cole Payton and Taylen Green, attending Garrett Nussmeier’s pro day, and speaking with Ty Simpson at the combine.
The Pittsburgh Steelers kicked off their voluntary minicamp on Monday under new head coach Mike McCarthy, but the most talked‑about name was notably absent: Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers, whose one‑year deal with Pittsburgh expired at the start of the league year, remains an unsigned free agent and is under no obligation to attend offseason activities. Although Steelers owner Art Rooney II had expressed hope at the NFL’s annual meeting that a decision would come by the upcoming draft, both general manager Omar Khan and McCarthy clarified this week that there is no set timeline or deadline for Rodgers to announce his future. Khan emphasized that the dialogue with Rodgers has been consistently positive, noting that “he knows how we feel about him and we know how he feels about us,” while McCarthy, who coached Rodgers for 13 seasons in Green Bay, expressed confidence that the veteran quarterback would be “more in tune than we would realize” whenever he chooses to report.
McCarthy also stressed the importance of the voluntary minicamp for installing the team’s offensive scheme and building communication, but he downplayed the impact of Rodgers’ early absence. He pointed out that periods without veteran starters can be advantageous for developing younger players, saying, “there are benefits of periods where your veterans aren’t here — and we’re talking about the quarterback position.” With Rodgers on the sidelines, the Steelers turned their focus to Mason Rudolph and second‑year quarterback Will Howard. Rudolph, a six‑year NFL veteran, and Howard, who spent most of his rookie year on injured reserve after a training‑camp pinky‑finger injury, split all the quarterback repetitions over the first two days. McCarthy praised the progress he saw, noting that the quarterbacks improved from day to day and that the work was “just great work” for the young signal‑callers. He added that Howard, in particular, had made impressive strides in his offseason conditioning and movement skills, saying, “Just meeting with him in January compared to today, he’s had a really good offseason before the offseason… I’ve been very impressed with his movement skills.”
Looking beyond the immediate minicamp, McCarthy outlined his vision for the quarterback room moving forward. He stated his preference to carry three quarterbacks on the active roster, with the possibility of keeping a fourth on the practice squad if circumstances allow. This depth philosophy drove the Steelers’ aggressive scouting of the 2026 quarterback class. Pittsburgh holds 12 picks in the upcoming draft and has devoted significant resources to evaluating potential prospects. The team hosted in‑person predraft visits with Penn State’s Drew Allar, Miami’s Carson Beck, North Dakota State’s Cole Payton and Arkansas’ Taylen Green. McCarthy also attended Garrett Nussmeier’s pro day at LSU and spoke with Alabama’s Ty Simpson at the NFL scouting combine. Reiterating the quarterback’s primacy, McCarthy said, “We speak on it as being the most important position of football,” and affirmed that the organization will continue to seek ways to improve the group whenever the fit aligns.
Overall, while the Steelers remain patiently awaiting Aaron Rodgers’ decision, they are using the voluntary minicamp to develop their current quarterbacks, reinforce scheme familiarity, and lay the groundwork for potential future additions through the draft and practice‑squad avenues. The organization’s proactive approach signals a commitment to maintaining competitiveness at football’s most vital position, regardless of Rodgers’ ultimate choice.