Overview
- League insiders reported Monday that Pittsburgh has not heard from Aaron Rodgers on 2026 plans and does not expect a decision before Thursday’s NFL Draft, with Will Howard taking first-team reps under new coach Mike McCarthy.
- Team president Art Rooney II, who in March hoped for an answer by the draft, said in a Monday TV interview he no longer knows if Rodgers will decide before it.
- General manager Omar Khan said communication with Rodgers remains “positive and good,” and McCarthy said the staff has mapped out plans for different outcomes if Rodgers does not return.
- Pittsburgh owns a league-high 12 selections and could draft a developmental quarterback or address other needs while Rodgers weighs his future.
- The club pushed back on a local rumor of a draft-stage announcement, with OTAs in mid-May and a June minicamp shaping the next practical checkpoints for a decision.