Aaron Rodgers Points to Will Howard as Steelers Successor While His Own 2026 Decision Remains

Aaron Rodgers still hasn’t committed to playing a second season in Pittsburgh, but he did offer a clear opinion on one part of the Steelers quarterback future: rookie Will Howard has his attention.

Rodgers, 42, discussed Howard during an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show,” praising the Steelers’ 2025 sixth round pick in terms that sounded like a veteran quarterback staking out his preferred next chapter for the room, whether he’s in it or not.

“I’m just gonna talk about one guy that I really poured into this year a lot, and that was incredible to work with, and that’s Will Howard,” Rodgers said. “Will, in general, I think, has what it takes from a personality and a moxie standpoint to have a long career in the league.”

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Rodgers expanded on that mentorship dynamic, saying he approached Howard early in the season and offered to help him learn the position the way Rodgers sees it. “Listen, I’ll help you as much or as little as you want… because I want you to see the game the way I see it,” Rodgers said, adding that he wanted Howard “to be thinking about the things a young player should be thinking about.”

The comments arrive in the middle of real uncertainty about Rodgers’ own plans. Rodgers is an unrestricted free agent and said he has not received a contract offer from the Steelers, nor has he been given a deadline to decide whether he’s playing in 2026.

“There’s no contract offer or anything, so there’s nothing that I’m having to debate between,” Rodgers said. “I’m a free agent. I’m enjoying my time with my wife and enjoying this part of the offseason. I think there’s conversations to be had down the line, but right now there hasn’t been any progressive conversations.

“There hasn’t been any deadline set on me. There hasn’t been any contract floated in front of me. … Interested in what the conversations will be but there hasn’t been any progression when it comes to that.”

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Rodgers also indicated he wasn’t rushing into anything before March 9, the date when NFL rules allow unrestricted free agents to begin contacting teams to discuss contract terms. Players can sign starting March 11, the beginning of the new league year.

That calendar matters because the Steelers do not want another offseason where the quarterback timeline drifts into summer. Steelers general manager Omar Khan said last week the franchise would not sit on hold for months while Rodgers decides if — and where — he wants to play a 22nd NFL season.

The Steelers lived that wait once already. Rodgers did not sign with Pittsburgh last spring as anticipated, and a one year deal wasn’t finalized until June 5. Nearly three weeks after signing, Rodgers said, “I’m pretty sure this is it” regarding the 2025 season being his last.

Since then, Pittsburgh has undergone a coaching change, hiring Mike McCarthy to replace Mike Tomlin at the end of the 2025 season. McCarthy coached Rodgers in Green Bay for 13 seasons, and Rodgers spoke warmly about the possibility of working with him again. “Mike’s one of the great guys in the league,” Rodgers said. “Just an absolutely exceptional human being with a huge heart… He really cares about the players. But he also holds guys accountable and creates a lot of structure and details in the process.”

On the field, Rodgers’ 2025 season gave the Steelers enough reason to keep the door open. He threw 24 touchdown passes and seven interceptions, and Pittsburgh won the AFC North and reached the playoffs.

But Howard’s name sticking in the conversation is the part that quietly changes the shape of the offseason. A veteran quarterback openly describing a rookie as someone he “poured into” and someone who “has what it takes” is not the typical “good kid, works hard” quote that disappears after a podium session.

Rodgers went further, saying he’s “a big Will Howard… believer as a player,” and projecting that Howard can become “not just a consistent starter, but a guy who can stick in the league for a long, long time.”

For now, the Steelers’ quarterback reality sits in a familiar place: waiting on Rodgers while paying close attention to what the room looks like if the waiting ends with “no.” Rodgers did not provide a decision this week. He did, however, point to the player he believes can handle what comes next.

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