Stop me if you've heard this question before.
Who is going to be the Pittsburgh Steelers' starting quarterback?
It's a question Steelers fans have been asking, off and on, for years now. And, this coming season, it very well could be Aaron Rodgers for just one more run. However, if it isn't Rodgers, one Steelers beat reporter thinks there's an intriguing name on the table.
PennLive's Nick Farabaugh shared his thoughts on the situation courtesy of 93.7 The Fan, and tossed out an idea if it isn't Rodgers under center for 2026:
"I think Malik Willis is on the table there. I think he's the type of profile Mike McCarthy has liked. He's a bigger guy and he's more mobile than some of the guys he's worked with."
Malik Willis might be the best quarterback option for Mike McCarthy's Pittsburgh Steelers in 2026
Now, it isn't like McCarthy actually coached Willis. But the shared roots to Green Bay have to be taken into consideration. On one hand, it is a giant coincidence that Willis is coming from the Packers, where McCarthy once coached for a very long time.
On the other hand, Willis is, indeed, the type of quarterback build that makes sense for McCarthy's Steelers.
And, it makes a ton of sense for Art Rooney II to pursue a quarterback like Willis. This year's quarterback class isn't as strong as we once thought it was, especially after the news that Dante Moore would be returning to Oregon. The Steelers aren't going to find a sure thing in this year's class, but they very well could in next year's.
Willis could wind up getting a similar deal, in free agency, as that of Justin Fields back with the New York Jets. If Pittsburgh could snag Willis on a 2-year, $40 million deal, I think that's a slam-dunk type of move.
This past season, in four appearances with the Packers, Willis threw for 422 yards, three touchdowns, and zero interceptions while adding 123 yards on the ground, plus two rushing scores.
If he pans out under McCarthy, then the Steelers finally solved their problem. Otherwise, he's a strong bridge quarterback, at the very least, for a rookie to come in through the 2027 class.
The irony of Pittsburgh going from one former Packers quarterback to another, too, is too good not to talk about. The fact that McCarthy comes from a lengthy history in Green Bay, as well, is quite the wrinkle in all of this.