New Aaron Rodgers Rumors on Timeline for Decision on Retirement, Steelers Return amid NFL Draft Week

Ahead of this week's NFL draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers reportedly are still facing some uncertainty at the quarterback position.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero reported on Monday that veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers has yet to inform the Steelers whether he will retire or return to the team for the 2026 season, and "there is no expectation" that he will give Pittsburgh a final decision before the NFL draft starts on Thursday.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that the contract is not the hold-up:

The Steelers are set to begin their offseason workouts on Monday under new head coach Mike McCarthy. Rapoport noted that Will Howard, a 2025 sixth-round pick, is expected to take first-team reps in Rodgers' absence. Pelissero added that Howard "has many fans" within the organization, so these reps are more important for him than they would be for Rodgers.

Still, the Steelers likely would prefer to have some clarity from the future Hall of Famer. Schefter reported last week that team owner Art Rooney II was "hoping" to receive an answer from Rodgers before the start of the NFL draft, which is being held in Pittsburgh.

Rodgers' Steelers teammates have also nudged him to speed up his decision-making process.

"He's worn the back and gold. Just return, baby. That's all we need," veteran defensive tackle Cam Heyward said during his Friday appearance on The Rich Eisen Show (0:35 mark). He added, "I think he had a fun time being a part of this crew, and we really enjoyed his company, but I'd like to be able to run it back with him.

B/R's NFL Scouting Department predicted that the Steelers would use the No. 21 pick in Thursday's first round to select USC wide receiver Makai Lemon. However, Pittsburgh has a league-high 12 picks in this year's draft, so the team could target a quarterback with one of its later selections amid the continued uncertainty surrounding Rodgers.