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Mike McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers spent 11 years together with the Green Bay Packers.

The immediate thought after the Pittsburgh Steelers hired new head coach Mike McCarthy this offseason was whether or not future first-ballot Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers would come back to play for his old head coach for at least one more year amid retirement rumors. With the NFL Draft on the cusp of kicking off, Rodgers is still unsigned.

Still, that hasn’t stopped the Pittsburgh media from asking McCarthy about a potential reunion with Rodgers. On Tuesday, the Super Bowl-winning head coach spoke about Rodgers and whether or not he could rejoin the team without missing a beat despite missing voluntary OTAs. His answer more than revealed his support for his former and possibly future quarterback.

The Pittsburgh Steelers Want Aaron Rodgers Back

GettyAaron Rodgers first became an NFL starter back in 2008 under Mike McCarthy in Green Bay.

Here is the update McCarthy shared with the media on Wednesday as it pertains to Rodgers and the confidence level that McCarthy has in him:

“Nothing has changed. I think Aaron is more in tune than we might realize. I have confidence in him in the day if he arrives, if that’s his decision.”

There is no doubt that the Steelers want the four-time MVP to come back for one more run. More specifically, Mike McCarthy certainly appears to want his guy back in the fold. Why wouldn’t you? There is no quarterback in this draft and no quarterback on the market who is likely to outperform Rodgers in 2026.

As he has proven time and time again throughout his storied career, when the odds are against him, Rodgers almost always shows up. After falling in the 2005 NFL Draft and sitting on the bench for three years in Green Bay, he became a Super Bowl champion, a four-time MVP, and arguably the greatest Packer of all time. After battling age and a significant Achilles injury with the Jets, he took the Steelers to an AFC North title for the first time in five years.

Aaron Rodgers and Mike McCarthy Go Way Back

GettyAaron Rodgers and Mike McCarthy led the Packers to a Super Bowl victory over the Steelers in 2011.

If Rodgers’ 2025 season in Pittsburgh isn’t proof enough that he is the Steelers’ best option at quarterback for this season, fans and the media should look back at his track record with McCarthy.

After sitting behind Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre for the first two years of McCarthy’s Green Bay tenure, Rodgers took over as the Packers’ starter in 2008. Over the next 11 seasons, until McCarthy was let go, Rodgers became the best quarterback in football. He would go on to win two of his first four MVPs, earn seven Pro Bowl nods, and keep Green Bay in Super Bowl contention annually.

From 2008 to 2018, the Packers made the playoffs eight consecutive times, won five NFC North titles, earned three NFC Championship game trips, and brought home Super Bowl XLV. Could McCarthy and Rodgers reunite for one last magical run, this time on McCarthy’s home turf?