What Mike McCarthy hire means for Aaron Rodgers’ return to Steelers and more 2026 questions originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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The Pittsburgh Steelers entered the 2026 offseason with two big questions: Who would coach the team, and who would play quarterback.
The Steelers answered the first question on Saturday, Jan. 24, when they hired former Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy as the team’s next leader. McCarthy will take over for Mike Tomlin, who resigned following the conclusion of the 2025-26 season. He will be the first head coach Pittsburgh has hired with prior head coaching experience since 1965.
The hire is expected to help keep the franchise in contention, but it could also influence their second question. Veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers is a free agent, but he spent 2006–2018 with McCarthy in Green Bay. While nothing is official, the connection to Rodgers is notable, as Pittsburgh has few other options for a reliable starting QB in 2026.
Here’s more on the potential impact of the Steelers hiring McCarthy on retaining Rodgers.
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What Mike McCarthy hire means for Aaron Rodgers’ return
When Steelers owner Art Rooney II spoke after Tomlin announced he would step down as head coach, he was asked what he loved most about working with Tomlin. Rooney II talked about the former head coach’s presence in the building, but mainly focused on the fact that “with Mike [Tomlin], we were always in contention.”
For the first time since 1965, Pittsburgh has hired a head coach with prior head-coaching experience. McCarthy takes over the Steelers with a 174-112-2 coaching record, including a Super Bowl XLV win over Pittsburgh.
While his success over an 18-year coaching career likely appealed to Rooney, the flip side is that McCarthy could help lure Rodgers back to Pittsburgh.
Rooney was asked about Rodgers at the same press conference and specifically stated, “Aaron [Rodgers] came here for Mike [Tomlin].” Tomlin’s resignation made it hard to envision Rodgers returning to Pittsburgh. While reports suggest the move wasn’t made with that goal in mind, the Steelers remain open to a reunion, and the hire certainly doesn’t hurt.
While Art Rooney originally said he believed Aaron Rodgers would not play again for the #Steelers, this does open the door for a return. https://t.co/875PITGm14
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 24, 2026
MORE: Why did the Steelers hire Mike McCarthy?
Mike McCarthy-Aaron Rodgers’ relationship
Green Bay drafted Rodgers with the 24th overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft. The Packers then fired former head coach Mike Sherman following the 2005 season and hired McCarthy as his successor. McCarthy and Rodgers spent 13 seasons together, compiling a 125-77-2 record and a win in Super Bowl XLV. The duo made the playoffs in nine of those 13 seasons.
MORE: Is Aaron Rodgers retiring?
Will Aaron Rodgers return to Steelers next season?
Rodgers’s decision to join the Steelers for the 2025 season took a long time to make. He officially signed his one-year deal on June 6, 2025. Even with McCarthy at the helm in Pittsburgh, Rodgers could again take six months or more to make his decision if he wanted to.
Being that he is a free agent, and that the Steelers have interest in a reunion, Rodgers could certainly return to the Steelers for 2026, but nothing is official. One more reason to return is that if Rodgers were to hang up his cleats and retire, the final pass of his career would officially be a pick-six that he had in the Wild Card round loss to the Houston Texans.
MORE: Why did Mike Tomlin resign?
Aaron Rodgers stats under Mike McCarthy
Here is a look at Rodgers’ stats under McCarthy in Green Bay. Rodgers took over as the starter in 2008, in McCarthy’s third year with the team.
| Season | Games | Completion % | Passing Yards | Passing TDs | INTs | Carries | Rushing Yards | Rushing TDs | Record |
| 2006 | 2 | 40.0% | 46 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 11 | 0 | — |
| 2007 | 2 | 71.4% | 218 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 29 | 0 | — |
| 2008 | 16 | 63.6% | 4,038 | 28 | 13 | 56 | 207 | 4 | 6-10 |
| 2009 | 16 | 64.7% | 4,434 | 30 | 7 | 58 | 316 | 5 | 11-5 |
| 2010 | 15 | 65.7% | 3,922 | 28 | 11 | 64 | 356 | 4 | 10-5 |
| 2011 | 15 | 68.3% | 4,643 | 45 | 6 | 60 | 257 | 3 | 14-1 |
| 2012 | 16 | 67.2% | 4,295 | 39 | 8 | 54 | 259 | 2 | 11-5 |
| 2013 | 9 | 66.6% | 2,536 | 17 | 6 | 30 | 120 | 0 | 6-3 |
| 2014 | 16 | 65.6% | 4,381 | 38 | 5 | 43 | 269 | 2 | 12-4 |
| 2015 | 16 | 60.7% | 3,821 | 31 | 8 | 58 | 344 | 1 | 10-6 |
| 2016 | 16 | 65.7% | 4,428 | 40 | 7 | 67 | 369 | 4 | 10-6 |
| 2017 | 7 | 64.7% | 1,675 | 16 | 6 | 24 | 126 | 0 | 4-3 |
| 2018 | 12 | 61.8% | 3,504 | 21 | 1 | 32 | 168 | 0 | 4-7-1 |
| Total | 158 | 65.2% | 41,941 | 334 | 78 | 555 | 2,831 | 25 | 98-55-1 |
Bold indicates year Rodgers won NFL MVP Award.
