The Steelers introduced McCarthy as the franchise's next head coach on Tuesday.
The Steelers introduced new coach Mike McCarthy in a press conference on Tuesday afternoon, and it didn't take long for someone to ask him about quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The coach, who worked with Rodgers as the head coach of Green Bay from 2006 to 2018, then made it explicitly clear how he'd feel about the vet QB coming back to the Burgh for another year.
"Definitely," McCarthy said, asked if he'd like Rodgers in Black and Gold for 2026. "I don't know why you wouldn't." The ex-Cowboys coach added that he has spoken with Rodgers, and "thought he was a great asset for the team." He also said he believes players need some time away to process as serious a decision as Rodgers is weighing. Reporter: "In your best-case scenario, do you want Aaron Rodgers back as your quarterback next year?" Mike McCarthy: "Definitely. I mean, I don't see why you wouldn't... I watched most of the Pittsburgh games on TV, and I thought he was a great asset for the team." 🏈🎙️Rodgers signed a one-year contract with Pittsburgh over the 2025 offseason. His time at Acrisure went relatively well, though it did, rather than a bang. The QB also made clear that head coach Mike Tomlin was a huge piece of his choice to join the Steelers. So now that Tomlin has stepped down, there's been speculation that the QB will ultimately retire rather than play another year. If Rodgers doesn't return, McCarthy added that he is "really excited" about 2025 draft pick Will Howard.. "It would be really great to have Aaron back, but Will and Mason , I'm excited to get started with them." All in all, it sounds like the ball is in Rodgers's court. The Steelers have left the door open to a return, and McCarthy appears intrigued by one, too. Hopefully, everyone can put their heads together and make a decision sometime soon.Brigid Kennedy is a contributor to the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Before joining SI in November 2024, she covered political news, sporting news and culture at TheWeek.com before moving to Livingetc, an interior design magazine. She is a graduate of Syracuse University, dual majoring in television, radio and film and marketing managment . Offline, she enjoys going to the movies, reading and watching the Steelers.
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