The Pittsburgh Steelers are in incredibly uncharted territory. With Mike Tomlin gone and the first head coaching search underway since 2007, the world really is the organization's oyster. Pittsburgh has a chance to firmly pivot and change the franchise's image with its fourth head coach hire since 1969.
It is getting harder and harder to compete in the AFC landscape without a high-powered offense, as the Steelers have learned in the years since Ben Roethlisberger's departure in 2021. They need a stout young signal-caller and an innovative offensive mind in the building.
Yes, six of the nine candidates who have interviewed for Pittsburgh's head coaching vacancy are defensive coordinators, but the Steelers could still hire a young, offensive mind like Nate Scheelhaase or Klay Kubiak.
Or, they could tip their hand about Aaron Rodgers' future with the franchise by hiring a retread like Mike McCarthy.
This bit of history may mean Aaron Rodgers is back for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2026
Look, the last three head coach hires for the Steelers were first-timers from defensive backgrounds in their 30s. McCarthy is the polar opposite of that. He was the head coach for both the Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys, and McCarthy is a 62-year-old who rose through the offensive ranks.
In the last few days, McCarthy withdrew from consideration for the Tennessee Titans' head coaching post and turned down several other inquiries. He is interviewing with the Steelers on Wednesday, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. The stars seem to be aligning.
Then, SNY reporter Connor Hughes brought up a conversation he had with Rodgers back when he was quarterbacking the New York Jets:
"I remember talking to Aaron Rodgers in the locker room toward the end of his tenure with the #Jets. Mentioned 'wherever Mike McCarthy ends up' as a potential landing spot," Hughes wrote. "Sure sounds like McCarthy is headed to the #Steelers. Wonder if that gets Rodgers back for another year."
If Rodgers still feels that way about McCarthy, and it is hard to imagine that anything has changed with the latter sitting on the sidelines this past season, then the Steelers' hiring McCarthy could be the ultimate indicator that Rodgers will be back in Pittsburgh in 2026.
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Steelers fans are, for the most part, at least ready to move on from Rodgers. He showed glimpses of his vintage self at times, but for the most part, he led a merely average offense. Rodgers also laid an absolute egg when it mattered most in the playoffs.
But if McCarthy, his old coach for the Packers, comes to Pittsburgh, that entirely changes the equation. Fans may need to assume in this scenario that, at the very least, Rodgers will be around as a bridge quarterback.
Now, would that be such a bad thing? Certainly not. Fernando Mendoza isn't likely to get past the Las Vegas Raiders in the 2026 NFL Draft, but if Alabama's Ty Simpson is around when the Steelers are on the clock at No. 21, a raw prospect like him could learn a lot from Rodgers.
Keeping Rodgers around and having him and McCarthy help develop a young quarterback is far more intriguing than trading for a player like Kyler Murray or Mac Jones, and it would be much cheaper than signing someone like Malik Willis in free agency.
If you told a Steelers fan in 2023 that Aaron Rodgers and Mike McCarthy would be leading their team into an AFC North division where Zac Taylor is the last head coach standing, they would look at you like you had 4 eyeballs.
However, in 2026, this may be one of the best options for the Steelers. Keeping the tradition of hiring young defensive coaches alive would be on-brand for Pittsburgh, but that hasn't exactly gotten them over the hump in the last two decades or so.
Hiring McCarthy would at least be something different, and change may be good for the Steelers. Plus, hiring McCarthy would give fans a clear indication of what the future holds for Rodgers, for better or for worse.