NFL
Steelers Turn Attention to QB Will Howard as Aaron Rodgers Situation Lingers
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Baltimore Ravens v Pittsburgh Steelers - NFL 2025 by Michael Owens | Getty Images
Despite reports to the contrary, veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers did travel to Pittsburgh but not to finalize any contract with the Steelers or even have any interaction with anyone in the franchise, according to sources with knowledge of the situation.
Rodgers has not given the coaching staff or front office any indication that he is going to play in 2026, and though they have been in essence keeping a roster spot open for him and planning as if he will be there, they also aren’t taking it for granted and the business of installing their offense will begin without him.
It certainly seems odd to executives around the league that Rodgers will be in the Pittsburgh area and not have any contact with the team, but then again, he is a quirky individual who seems to relish awkward situations just like this in which he is the center of attention and intrigue.
Steelers Not Looking Outside The Organization
Regardless, the Steelers are very excited about the development of 2025 draft pick Will Howard, league sources said, and while some have written that off as hype, we continue to hear that new head coach Mike McCarthy is already a fan of his and he will have a very real chance to compete for a starting job if Rodgers is not back.
That could be because Rodgers retires or the team just opts to move on because his timeline doesn’t fit theirs.
The team is not pursuing any veteran options, be they trade or free agents, the sources said, with agents for available quarterbacks saying they have not heard from Steelers brass.
They have not reached out to teams like Arizona, sources said, who seem to have a crowded quarterback room, and will proceed with Howard and longtime back-up Mason Rudolph competing for the starting job if need be.
The Steelers used a mid-round pick on Penn State quarterback Drew Allar, but that is a developmental play and the organization realized if he is going to be starting quality it would be in 2027 or beyond, There is no rush to see him on the field before then.
Rodgers will not impact that schedule one way or the other. And he might not impact the Steelers at all at this point.
La Canfora has covered over 20 Super Bowls and League Meetings and NFL drafts, building a wide network of sources throughout all aspects of the game. He was an award winning print journalist as well, working at The Detroit Free Press and The Baltimore Sun prior to his first stint at The Washington Post. He has covered sporting events around the world, including two Winter Olympics and all of the 2006 World Cup. He attended his first NFL game in 1978, and would soon kindle what has become a lifelong love and appreciation of the sport. La Canfora is also a professional handicapper, specializing in the NFL, creating a daily sports wagering game show - "Wanna Bet?" He also hosts nationally broadcast NFL radio shows in the US, as well as a daily sports radio show in his hometown of Baltimore, Maryland.