With the Pittsburgh Steelers now led by head coach Mike McCarthy, the one area that will be looked upon by the sports world is whether star quarterback Aaron Rodgers will return to the team. As the Steelers' future for Rodgers is still up in the air, McCarthy would provide some insight into how those conversations are going.
Speaking to the media on Tuesday, McCarthy would say that the team and Rodgers are in a “good place,” according to Dianna Russini.
“Mike McCarthy talks about Aaron Rodgers and says he believes they are in a good space,” Russini wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
For his actual quote, McCarthy would mention how he's “confident” in the situation, but emphasized it's a “personal decision” by Rodgers to make, via Chris Adamski. In some ways, McCarthy being asked about Rodgers is a full circle moment, as 20 years ago at the annual owners meeting media availability, when people were asking about whether Brett Favre was coming back to the Green Bay Packers.
Steelers coach Mike McCarthy recalled his first owners meeting media availability and the first question that day in 2006 was about a veteran future HOF QB and if he’s coming back (Brett Favre) – and 20 years later it’s the same line of questioning (Aaron Rodgers) pic.twitter.com/u6JJMxJjTx
— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) March 31, 2026
Steelers' Mike McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers have “positive conversations”
McCarthy even said to the media on Tuesday that he spoke to Rodgers the night before, but he didn't reveal the extent of the conversation, instead saying, “He says hello,” via Brooke Pryor. Speaking to Pat McAfee on his self-titled show on ESPN on Monday, he would reaffirm how the talks with the veteran quarterback have been “very positive conversations.”
“I’ve talked to Aaron regularly and will continue to do so, and we’re just working through it. When it’s time to fully address it, we will, but it’s a process that he’s going through, and I’m comfortable with it,” McCarthy said.
"I've talked to Aaron Rodgers regularly and we will continue to do so..
It's a process that he's going thru and we've had very positive conversations on a weekly basis"
Coach McCarthy #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/UNo9a1xpgg
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) March 30, 2026
It remains to be seen if Rodgers comes back to play with Pittsburgh come the fall of 2026 after playing his first year with the team last season, where he threw for 3,322 yards to go along with 24 touchdowns and seven interceptions. If he does come back to play, the Steelers look to improve after finishing with a 10-7 record, winning the AFC North, though being eliminated by the Houston Texans in the wild-card round.
