Getty

ESPN insider states that the Steelers should have tried harder to upgrade at QB than wait on Aaron Rodgers.

The situation between Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers continues to get stranger as the team awaits his decision on whether to return for another season. However, it is clear that all of their eggs are in the Rodgers basket.

Rodgers was reportedly in Pittsburgh during the weekend of May 9, but somehow neither the Steelers nor even his agent knew about it, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN while on The Pat McAfee Show.

“When the report surfaced last week, that he was back in town, visiting the Steelers, nobody in the organization knew about it,” Schefter said. “And his agent didn’t know about it.”

Schefter said the date to watch with Rodgers is now May 18 and added that “chances are he comes back” to play for the Steelers in 2026.

Steelers fans may not even care at this point and instead wonder why the team did not do more to solve its quarterback problem heading into the 2026 season.

ESPN Explains Why Steelers Continue To Wait On Aaron Rodgers

That is exactly the type of question Dan Graziano of ESPN asked as well. He explained that part of the reason is Pittsburgh’s familiarity with Rodgers.

“The answer here seems to be that they liked what they got out of Aaron Rodgers last season, believe he can do it again and thought that running it back with him was their best course of action,” Graziano wrote. “Rodgers, of course, has yet to actually re-sign in Pittsburgh, and no one knows what the holdup is. But they had Rodgers last year, they’re familiar with his quirks, and they seem fine with giving him whatever time he needs to give them an answer.”

The second part of Graziano’s explanation is likely to enrage Steelers fans, as he suggested Rodgers’ return simply preserves the team’s status quo.

“No team seems to enjoy its status quo as much as the Steelers do. Frankly, you can see why,” Graziano added. “They haven’t had a losing season since 2003. They’ve made the playoffs 17 times this century. No team has won more Super Bowls than the Steelers. They’re consistent contenders, year in and year out — there is almost never a game in which they don’t have something to play for.”

Mike Tomlin gave the Steelers 19 straight seasons without a losing record. With Mike McCarthy now replacing him, however, it does not appear early on that the organization is trying to become much more than what it has been.

“What irks Steelers fans is the recent inability to rise above the status quo. Pittsburgh hasn’t won a playoff game since January 2017. It hasn’t won more than 10 games in a season since 2020. It hasn’t been to the Super Bowl in 15 years and hasn’t won it in 17. It might be time for the Steelers to get outside of their comfort zone and try to find a quarterback solution that isn’t just a bandage.”

Will Howard, Drew Allar Could Still Become Long-Term Answer

Perhaps if Rodgers does not return for a 22nd NFL season, the Steelers will finally see what they have in Will Howard and Drew Allar, their quarterback selections in the last two drafts.

The problem is that neither has any meaningful NFL experience. But as Graziano points out, that uncertainty could also become part of the solution that helps Pittsburgh find its first true franchise quarterback since Ben Roethlisberger.

“Maybe Will Howard or Drew Allar ends up being the solution. But if that happens, it won’t be because the Steelers stretched to get them. Maybe the Steelers finally have a lousy season and find their solution at the top of the 2027 draft. But if that happens, it would be because their plan didn’t work.”

The Steelers have already been projected to target several of the top quarterbacks in next year’s draft, including Darian Mensah and Drew Mestemaker.