With the 2026 NFL Draft just weeks away, the Pittsburgh Steelers still does not know who will lead the offense. Aaron Rodgers remains undecided about returning, despite a steady 2025 season that saw him throw for 3,322 yards with 24 touchdowns. The clock is ticking, and the franchise appears to be bracing for more than one outcome.
Steelers wait on Aaron Rodgers as draft pressure builds
Aaron Rodgers gave Pittsburgh stability last season. He was efficient, careful with the ball, and rarely put the team in difficult spots. Yet that consistency has not brought clarity this spring.Owner Art Rooney II made it clear the team does not want this uncertainty dragging into late April. “I have not talked to him. Coach [McCarthy] has been in contact with him pretty regularly,” Rooney told ESPN’s Brooke Pryor. “I think a decision is probably coming soon.”That timeline matters. The draft begins April 23, and the Steelers would prefer a firm answer before they are on the clock.There is a quiet tension building inside the organization. If Rodgers returns, the plan holds. If he does not, Pittsburgh must pivot quickly, possibly without a clear-cut starter in place.According to ESPN’s Brooke Pryor, that pivot could include adding a young arm. “I think it’s a very real possibility that they could draft a quarterback, maybe not in the first round,” Pryor said. “They have other needs to address, but a later-round guy.”That approach suggests caution. It also hints at a team not fully convinced about its current depth.
Will Howard, Ty Simpson, and the search for a fallback
The Steelers are not starting from zero. Will Howard, now in his second year, has drawn internal support. Mike McCarthy has spoken positively about his development.“I’m really excited about Will Howard,” McCarthy said. “He’s someone that, I thought, he really came on there at Ohio State.”Still, optimism does not always equal certainty.That is where other names enter the conversation. Ty Simpson has quietly built a case as a potential option. His numbers stand out, 3,567 yards, 28 touchdowns, and just five interceptions last season. More importantly, evaluators see traits that translate.ESPN analyst Louis Riddick did not hold back. “I like Will Howard – I don’t like Will Howard as much as Ty Simpson. I don’t even think they’re in the same stratosphere as far as their ability to throw the football. I think Ty Simpson is a guy who, right now, based upon how the season ended – and we’ve talked about it a lot and we’re going to be talking about it a lot more,” Riddick said, via On3. “Based upon how the latter half of the season ended, which wasn’t all on him. The guy was banged up, offensive line is very inconsistent, the running game is nonexistent and the wide receiver corps was up-and-down from week to week. And then, he turns it around in the playoffs against Oklahoma and brings his team back from a 17-point deficit. He’s tailor-made for Mike McCarthy’s system – and Mike has coached some good quarterbacks.”That endorsement carries weight. It also raises a simple question. How long can Pittsburgh afford to wait?For now, everything circles back to Rodgers. His decision will shape the draft, the depth chart, and perhaps the entire season. Until then, the Steelers remain in limbo, balancing patience with urgency as one answer holds up every other move.
