Aaron Rodgers is training but Steelers voluntary minicamp without certainty about QB

Aaron Rodgers, inactive deciding whether he’ll play successful the 2026 season, has been moving retired to enactment successful signifier apt successful mentation for the season, per a source, and that seems similar bully quality for the Pittsburgh Steelers due to the fact that the NFL squad is holding a spot for him arsenic their starting quarterback.

But here’s the sobering quality for the club: Rodgers, who has been speaking regularly with Steelers manager Mike McCarthy, has not yet definitively committed to playing successful 2026 for the Steelers.

Or anyone else.

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Pittsburgh Steelers backmost Aaron Rodgers (8) runs disconnected the tract aft the crippled against the Miami Dolphins astatine Acrisure Stadium connected Dec. 15, 2025. (Charles LeClaire/Imagn Images)

Khan: Communication continues

"We’ve had immoderate large connection with Aaron and nothing’s changed, but it’s ever affirmative and good," General manager Omar Khan said Monday. "I said this to you guys successful March erstwhile we met, helium knows however we consciousness astir him and we cognize however helium feels astir us."

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Now searching for that condemnation successful which Khan says Rodgers is decidedly playing for the Steelers ....

Nope, not there.

The champion mode to picture the affinity each enactment "feels" presently is simply a long-distance romance due to the fact that Rodgers has been traveling and not successful Pittsburgh, portion the Steelers connected Monday opened a voluntary minicamp wherever Rodgers was not present.

Second-year backmost Will Howard was expected to instrumentality a bulk of the first-team repetitions with the discourtesy during the campy that runs until Wednesday.

And abruptly the excitement that Rodgers would perchance marque his committedness to the Steelers astatine the NFL draft, which is being held successful Pittsburgh starting connected Thursday evening, is losing steam.

Pittsburgh Steelers caput manager Mike McCarthy (right) speaks astatine a property league introducing him arsenic the adjacent caput manager of the Steelers arsenic proprietor Art Rooney II (left) listens successful astatine PNC Champions Club astatine Acrisure Stadium connected Jan. 27, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Charles LeClaire/Imagn Images)

Rooney Expected Decision By Now

It should beryllium noted it was the Steelers who led everyone to judge a Rodgers determination could beryllium made by this week. Club proprietor Art Rooney II told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette astatine the NFL yearly meetings that helium expected certainty by now.

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"I expect we’ll get an reply earlier the draft," Rooney said.

Khan, noting that Rodgers took until June to certify his determination to play the 2025 play for the Steelers, said astatine the NFL Combine successful February that the process would not beryllium truthful drawn retired this year.

"I deliberation neither side wants to person this resistance connected similar it did past year," Khan said.

And yet, present we are.

Rodgers, by the way, has 2 choices to prime from:

Play for the Steelers.

Or retire.

There is nary enactment C due to the fact that the lone NFL squad that hasn’t already made different plans for its starting backmost occupation is the Arizona Cardinals and joining a rebuilding programme wouldn't beryllium enticing to Rodgers.

Quarterback Ty Simpson of the Alabama Crimson Tide passes during the crippled against the Missouri Tigers astatine Faurot Field astatine Memorial Stadium connected Oct. 11, 2025 successful Columbia, Missouri. (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

Ty Simpson An Option? 

It is possible, depending connected what Steelers endowment evaluators and Khan decided, that the Steelers instrumentality a hard look astatine drafting Alabama backmost Ty Simpson.

Simpson is the lone QB imaginable not named Fernando Mendoza with a superior anticipation of being selected successful the archetypal round. So it mightiness beryllium astute for the Steelers to instrumentality that agelong look astatine him arsenic an concern with their No. 21 wide selection, careless of whether they person Rodgers oregon not.

If Rodgers takes the disconnected ramp connected playing and retires successful the adjacent mates of days, the Steelers mightiness privation a subordinate specified arsenic Simpson arsenic a imaginable summation to their backmost room.

Even if Rodgers tells the Steelers he's coming back, it mightiness behoove the nine to inactive see Simpson successful the draught due to the fact that Rodgers is 42 years aged and volition crook 43 during the season.

Khan said the club’s determination connected a backmost successful the draught volition person thing to bash with Rodgers.

"Yeah, we volition measure it," Khan said. "That doesn’t alteration our valuation process. We’re inactive putting the guys up (on the draught board), wherever they request to be, and, you know, we’ll conscionable spot however it shakes out."