Aaron Rodgers is training but Steelers voluntary minicamp without certainty about QB

Aaron Rodgers, still deciding whether he’ll play successful nan 2026 season, has been moving retired to enactment successful style apt successful mentation for nan season, per a source, and that seems for illustration bully news for nan Pittsburgh Steelers because nan NFL squad is holding a spot for him arsenic their starting quarterback.

But here’s nan sobering news for nan club: Rodgers, who has been speaking regularly pinch Steelers coach Mike McCarthy, has not yet definitively committed to playing successful 2026 for nan Steelers.

Or anyone else.

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Pittsburgh Steelers backmost Aaron Rodgers (8) runs disconnected nan section aft nan crippled against nan Miami Dolphins astatine Acrisure Stadium connected Dec. 15, 2025. (Charles LeClaire/Imagn Images)

Khan: Communication continues

"We’ve had immoderate awesome connection pinch Aaron and nothing’s changed, but it’s ever affirmative and good," General head Omar Khan said Monday. "I said this to you guys successful March erstwhile we met, he knows really we consciousness astir him and we cognize really he feels astir us."

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Now searching for that condemnation successful which Khan says Rodgers is decidedly playing for nan Steelers ....

Nope, not there.

The champion measurement to picture nan affinity each statement "feels" presently is simply a long-distance romance because Rodgers has been walking and not successful Pittsburgh, while nan Steelers connected Monday opened a voluntary minicamp wherever Rodgers was not present.

Second-year backmost Will Howard was expected to return a mostly of nan first-team repetitions pinch nan discourtesy during nan campy that runs until Wednesday.

And abruptly nan excitement that Rodgers would perchance make his commitment to nan Steelers astatine nan NFL draft, which is being held successful Pittsburgh starting connected Thursday evening, is losing steam.

Pittsburgh Steelers caput coach Mike McCarthy (right) speaks astatine a property convention introducing him arsenic nan adjacent caput coach of nan Steelers arsenic proprietor Art Rooney II (left) listens successful astatine PNC Champions Club astatine Acrisure Stadium connected Jan. 27, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Charles LeClaire/Imagn Images)

Rooney Expected Decision By Now

It should beryllium noted it was nan Steelers who led everyone to judge a Rodgers determination could beryllium made by this week. Club proprietor Art Rooney II told nan Pittsburgh Post-Gazette astatine nan NFL yearly meetings that he expected certainty by now.

Steelers ownership hopes for clarity connected Aaron Rodgers’ early 'in nan adjacent period aliases so'

"I expect we’ll get an reply earlier nan draft," Rooney said.

Khan, noting that Rodgers took until June to certify his determination to play nan 2025 play for nan Steelers, said astatine nan NFL Combine successful February that nan process would not beryllium truthful drawn retired this year.

"I deliberation neither side wants to person this resistance connected for illustration it did past year," Khan said.

And yet, present we are.

Rodgers, by nan way, has 2 choices to prime from:

Play for nan Steelers.

Or retire.

There is nary action C because nan only NFL squad that hasn’t already made different plans for its starting backmost occupation is nan Arizona Cardinals and joining a rebuilding programme wouldn't beryllium enticing to Rodgers.

Quarterback Ty Simpson of nan Alabama Crimson Tide passes during nan crippled against nan Missouri Tigers astatine Faurot Field astatine Memorial Stadium connected Oct. 11, 2025 successful Columbia, Missouri. (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

Ty Simpson An Option? 

It is possible, depending connected what Steelers talent evaluators and Khan decided, that nan Steelers return a difficult look astatine drafting Alabama backmost Ty Simpson.

Simpson is nan only QB imaginable not named Fernando Mendoza pinch a superior dream of being selected successful nan first round. So it mightiness beryllium smart for nan Steelers to return that agelong look astatine him arsenic an finance pinch their No. 21 wide selection, sloppy of whether they person Rodgers aliases not.

If Rodgers takes nan disconnected ramp connected playing and retires successful nan adjacent mates of days, nan Steelers mightiness want a subordinate specified arsenic Simpson arsenic a imaginable summation to their backmost room.

Even if Rodgers tells nan Steelers he's coming back, it mightiness behoove nan nine to still see Simpson successful nan draught because Rodgers is 42 years aged and will move 43 during nan season.

Khan said nan club’s determination connected a backmost successful nan draught will person thing to do pinch Rodgers.

"Yeah, we will measure it," Khan said. "That doesn’t alteration our information process. We’re still putting nan guys up (on nan draught board), wherever they request to be, and, you know, we’ll conscionable spot really it shakes out."