Simon Chester

KABOLY: There is really no downside to Aaron Rodgers returning to the Steelers Mark Kaboly / Steelers Correspondent For The @PatMcAfeeShow PITTSBURGH — The Steelers did a pretty thorough job of hiding that they knew Aaron Rodgers was going to sign on with them to be their starting quarterback last year, even though it dragged into early June until it was made official — Mike Tomlin admitted as much during training camp a few months after the fact. It’s a new year with a new coach, but the same kind of questions are hanging over the Steelers’ heads a few weeks after their season ended, but with somewhat of a twist. Do the Steelers actually want Rodgers back for a second go-around, even if his longtime coach Mike McCarthy is now calling the shots, and everything the organization’s top decision-makers have alluded to over the past week has been about “definitely” wanting him back? Or is it just a ruse – a ploy to move on from the four-time MVP without actually saying it out loud? Can it be happenstance that McCarthy is bringing in a coaching staff familiar to Rodgers? They are interviewing former Rodgers teammate Scott Tolzien for offensive coordinator, bringing back QB coach Tom Arth, and hiring offensive line coach James Campen, who was an assistant with the Packers under McCarthy for a dozen seasons and is a good friend of Rodgers. Well, disregard all potential misinformation. Not only do the Steelers want Rodgers to be their starting quarterback, but officials within the organization believe that Rodgers wants to continue playing, despite telling the Pat McAfee Show last year that he was going to retire after the 2025 season. Rodgers may have walked that back during the season, but that was when he believed Tomlin would be back. At this point, the Steelers believe that Rodgers will return, they want him to return, and expect to hear something definitive before free agency on March 11, but will allow the oldest player in the NFL time before that to definitively make that decision. “Knowing Aaron long enough, going through seasons, I think when players … are up there at that stage of their career, they need to step away and decompress,” McCarthy said, who coached Rodgers for 13 seasons. “The game is so emotional. With what these men commit to, what they put into it, I think that time away is important. I have spoken to Aaron. So that's really where we are there.” So, everything points toward Rodgers returning for yet another final season, which really has no downside other than he’s not going to be with the Steelers in 2027, pushing back the process of hiding the next long-time starter. But he can have a profound effect on if and how quickly McCarthy can accomplish the goal that both owner Art Rooney II and general manager Omar Khan tasked him to do – find the quarterback of the future. “I'd say, look, with everybody we talked to, the conversation of developing the next young quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers was part of it,” Khan said. “I think Mike's resumé speaks for itself, who he's been around. But we're excited about working with Will. And that was a part of it.” But that doesn’t mean Rodgers can’t help that along. McCarthy has had great success developing quarterbacks in his coaching career. Some of those quarterbacks, like Joe Montana, Brett Favre, Rodgers, and Dak Prescott, were already in place when McCarthy started to work with them, but it’s undeniable that he was able to elevate them to another level. McCarthy doesn’t have the advantage of inheriting a quarterback whom he can mold – although he talked up Ohio State national champion and sixth-round pick in the 2025 draft, Will Howard, since the day he was hired. “I'm excited, and where I'm going with this, I'm really excited about Will Howard,” McCarthy said. “I think he's someone who I thought really came on at Ohio State. I'm anxious to work with him. It will be great to have Aaron back, but Will and Mason (Rudolph), I'm really excited to get started with those guys.” Some think that Howard could be the next Tom Brady (also picked in the sixth round), a smaller version of Ben Roethlisberger, or even Josh Allen. Now, that might be pushing it a little bit for a quarterback whose resume isn’t impressive other than when it mattered the most – the playoffs. Howard threw for 1,150 yards, 8 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions in four College Football Playoff games as he surpassed 4,000 yards passing on the season while throwing 35 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. And this was after throwing for 5,768 yards and 48 touchdowns over parts of 34 games at Kansas State to open his collegiate career. Howard, who grew up a few hundred miles east of Pittsburgh in West Chester, transferred to Ohio State in 2024 and put together a year to remember. The Steelers liked him enough to draft him, but didn’t love him enough to draft him before 183 other players, including seven other quarterbacks who came off the draft board before Howard. Howard spoke glowingly of how Rodgers mentored him last season, and Rodgers had no reservations about helping the then-rookie. Howard has yet to take a snap in a pro game. He missed half of training camp and half the season with a broken thumb, so having a year of learning McCarthy’s system from a Hall of Fame quarterback who has had great success running it isn’t all that bad. “We've always approached it as the quarterback room because that second quarterback, third quarterback, they need to emulate the starter because that starter is dictating the rhythm and time and precision with the perimeter guys,” McCarthy said. With the free agency market limited and the draft even more so, the Steelers’ options are limited in terms of who would be their quarterback this year and give them a chance to remain competitive – a directive that Rooney hasn’t hidden publicly. Rodgers brought back a culture and leadership to the Steelers locker room that was much needed. His play was mostly above the bar, but adding a legitimate No. 2 receiver to the offense, continuing the growth of a young offensive line, and a new offensive coaching staff could be all that this offense needs. Considering the options out there, Rodgers looks pretty good. “I was able to sit back and watch the games, watched most of the Pittsburgh games on TV, and I thought he was a great asset for the team,” McCarthy said. So … The Steelers want Rodgers back; all indications have it that Rodgers wants to continue to play; he can push a division-winning team a step further if he’s given a help at wide receiver; he can accelerate the learning curve of the only quarterback on the roster under 30 – Howard; free agency and the draft isn’t stocked with franchise-caliber, can’t miss quarterbacks. So, what exactly is the downside of Rodgers returning for one final year? Graphic by @DerekMurphy32 (DBone)

Another byte that was interesting from Thursday, #Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo weighs in on PFF grades. #ChiefsKingdom