Aaron Rodgers' Steelers Future Discussed by GM Omar Khan Ahead of 2026 NFL Free Agency

Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Omar Khan confirmed that the "door is open" for Aaron Rodgers to return for a second season in black and gold in 2026.

Khan told reporters Tuesday that he and head coach Mike McCarthy had both spoken with Rodgers within the last week.

"He knows how we feel about him, and right now we're proceeding— he's a free agent, and he's not on the roster, but he knows how we feel about him," Khan said.

Khan additionally said Tuesday the Steelers are "excited" to work with Will Howard next season.

"We may have the guy on the roster. We don't know," Khan said.

Khan told reporters the Steelers don't have a "deadline" to resolve talks with Rodgers, but that he doesn't "foresee this going like it did last year."

Adam Schefter of ESPN later gave insight to a potential timeline for Rodgers to make a decision on 2026:

Rodgers waited until June 7 of last year, after OTAs had already ended, to sign his last one-year contract with the Steelers.

The veteran quarterback, who turned 42 in December, hasn't yet confirmed if he plans to return for a 22nd NFL season in 2026.

NFL Network's Tom Pelissero said in a recent appearance on the Rich Eisen Show that Rodgers was "certainly showing an interest in a return."

Like Khan, Pelissero indicated a belief that Rodgers would make his decision on a shorter timeline than last offseason.

"Everyone knows that Aaron needs to make a decision sooner than later, and it probably comes right around the start of the league year," Pelissero said.

The league year starts, and free agency signing period opens, on March 11.

"I don't really want to say it has to be done by then," Khan told reporters Tuesday when asked about March 11 as a potential deadline. "We'd like to have an idea, but it isn't going to go like it did last year."

Re-signing with the Steelers would mean a reunion with Mike McCarthy, for who oversaw Rodgers' transition from Brett Favre's backup to starter with the Green Bay Packers and won a Super Bowl with him after the 2010 season.

McCarthy said during his introductory press conference in January he would "definitely" want Rodgers playing for him if the quarterback wanted to return to the Steelers.

The Steelers currently have Howard and Mason Rudolph under contract for next season. When Rodgers makes his decision could potentially impact how the Steelers approach both free agency and the draft, which is set to kick off on April 23 in Pittsburgh.