Less than 10 minutes into his introductory news conference as the Pittsburgh Steelers’ new head coach, Mike McCarthy was asked the question hovering over the franchise: Does he want Aaron Rodgers back at quarterback?
“That’s nice the way he asked that,” McCarthy said with a laugh. “I mean definitely. I don’t see why you wouldn’t. … I have spoken to Aaron, and so that’s really where we are there. But I was able to sit back and watch the games and watch most of the Pittsburgh games on TV, and I thought he was a great asset for the team.”
McCarthy acknowledged that Rodgers, like many veteran players, needs time to step away and reflect before deciding on his future. Still, the 62-year-old coach made clear he would welcome a reunion with the quarterback he coached for 13 seasons in Green Bay, where the two won a Super Bowl together.
“I think that’s very important,” McCarthy said of taking time off. “The game is so emotional, what these men commit to and what they put into it. I think that time away is important.”
Speaking Tuesday, McCarthy said he and general manager Omar Khan have not discussed a timetable for Rodgers’ decision as the team prepares for the NFL draft. The situation mirrors last offseason, when Rodgers waited until June before signing a one-year deal.
With uncertainty at quarterback entering the 2025 draft, Pittsburgh waited until the sixth round to select Ohio State’s Will Howard. The rookie spent most of the season on injured reserve after breaking a finger on his throwing hand during training camp, but McCarthy said he is eager to work with him.
“I’m really excited about Will Howard,” McCarthy said. “He’s someone that I thought really came on there at Ohio State. I’m anxious to work with him. It’d be great to have Aaron back. But Will and Mason [Rudolph], I’m really, really excited to get started with those guys.”
A Pittsburgh native, McCarthy began his coaching career working with quarterbacks and has since played a central role in the development of players such as Rodgers and Dak Prescott. That track record was a major factor in the Steelers’ decision to hire him.
“The quarterback position, to me, is a huge challenge,” McCarthy said. “But really finding time, being efficient with your workload capacity and making sure those guys get the fundamental training — just never really deviating from the old-school way that has worked for decades.”
Khan echoed that sentiment, saying quarterback development was a key point in every interview.
“With everybody we talked to, the conversation of developing the next quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers was part of it,” Khan said. “Mike’s resume speaks for itself.”
McCarthy, just the fourth Steelers head coach since 1969 and the only one in that span with an offensive background, confirmed he will call plays while assembling his staff. Team president Art Rooney II said the organization kept an open mind throughout the search before settling on McCarthy.
“We came into this wanting to hire the best coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers,” Rooney said. “At the end of the day, it was an obvious decision for us that Mike was the guy for the job.”
