It has been made abundantly clear to the Pittsburgh Steelers and the rest of the sports world that Aaron Rodgers is, and will continue to be, on his own time. With the 2026 NFL Draft on the horizon, the franchise still doesn't have a clear understanding of who will be under center in Mike McCarthy's first season as the organization's head coach. The expectation is that the four-time MVP will return, but the team's signal-caller situation will get extremely murky if he ends up having a change of heart at the last second and decides to hang up his cleats.
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Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers looks down in intense focus wearing street clothes as the team works out during a 2025 training camp practice at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.
Will Howard has received praise from all angles, so fans and the media alike truly believe that the Steelers would have him as the starter if Rodgers does not end up coming back. The former sixth-round pick has been hyped up to an almost irrational degree; however, the leadership in the Steel City seems to be fully bought into the idea that he can turn into a franchise guy in the huddle.
Despite the possibility of Rodgers running it back and the affinity for Howard, Pittsburgh's brass has done its due diligence regarding the quarterback class coming out of college. There have been a respectable amount of signal-callers who have been on top-30 visits with the Steelers, suggesting that there is some interest, even though the group of passers isn't considered to be stout compared to past and future years.
Ray Fittipaldo hosted a fan chat on Tuesday for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, and plenty of questions rolled in about the NFL Draft that will be held in Pittsburgh very soon. Someone chimed in about Clemson University quarterback Cade Klubnik, but the beat writer believes that there are others ahead of him on the Steelers' board.
"They did not meet formally with [Cade Klubnik] at the combine and he hasn't been in for a visit (those end tomorrow)," Fittipaldo wrote. "I think they're more interested in guys like Carson Beck, Cole Payton and Taylen Green, who were in for visits. And guys like Drew Allar, who had a formal meeting at the combine."
Historically, a top-30 visit to the Steel City means that the franchise is interested. Carson Beck, Cole Payton and Taylen Green are three players that check that box. With the abundance of mid-round picks that the Steelers have, all three of these prospects are ones to watch when those selections roll around for Pittsburgh. Drew Allar also projects as a developmental quarterback, but he has not been in for an official top-30 visit.
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Former Penn State quarterback Drew Allar prepares to throw a football as he warms up prior to the team competing in a collegiate football event.
It is no secret that the Steelers have really delayed finding their signal-caller of the future for several years. The Kenny Pickett experiment was brief and useless, while veterans have consistently come on board to provide stopgap solutions. Rodgers was effective in 2025, so it won't hurt the team if he comes back, but there still has yet to be a definitive plan presented that has reassured the fans.
General Manager Omar Khan has not used urgency throughout the offseason when it comes to the quarterback spot, so all signs point to Rodgers running the show for at least another year. If the team does end up taking someone who plays the position in the middle rounds, it simply gives the coaching staff another option to work with and Rodgers another mentee.
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Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) points in the direction of one of his teammates as the group practices during a 2025 training camp workout at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.
Steelers Would Likely Part Ways With Veteran If A QB Is Drafted
Mason Rudolph has spent almost his entire professional career in Pittsburgh, but the franchise is only going to keep three quarterbacks around on the 53-man roster. If the front office does decide to take Payton, Green, Beck — or someone else — Rudolph will more than likely find himself on the trade block. The Steelers wouldn't have to rush a deal; however, it would certainly be expected to happen.
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