The Pittsburgh Steelers currently find themselves in a situation no NFL team envies. With 2025's starting quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, undecided on his future, and just veteran backup Mason Rudolph and 2025 sixth-round pick Will Howard currently on the roster, the QB position is a total wild card for yet another season.
It has been a revolving door of names at the game's most important position since the retirement of Ben Roethlisberger, and the list could get even longer in 2026. While it appears that Rodgers is still the favorite to be the starter if new head coach Mike McCarthy can convince him to return, a new name has entered the ring as a potential option.
According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Former Raiders and Saints QB Derek Carr is considering a return to the NFL.
An intriguing QB option to watch this offseason, as Derek Carr could unretire for the right situation and coaching staff, per The Insiders.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 8, 2026
Our story on the now-healthy #Saints QB: https://t.co/ANi4XVm58ahttps://t.co/ANi4XVm58a
Derek Carr could consider coming out of retirement if the Pittsburgh Steelers came calling
Carr retired before the start of the 2025 season, citing an injured shoulder that he simply wasn't interested in having surgery to fix. He seemed tired of the grind of the NFL, and at 33 years old at the time, he had played plenty of football and certainly made plenty of money.
Since then, however, Rapoport reported that his shoulder has improved with the extended rest he has given it, and he is now throwing without restrictions.
With the lack of quality arms in the 2026 NFL draft class and a typically weak free agent crop, Carr could find himself earning many offers for his services this spring. Any team interested in him would have to call the Saints, as they retain his rights, but a deal shouldn't be too complicated. With 2025 second-round pick Tyler Shough impressing as a rookie, the Saints have no leverage as far as a trade is concerned.
A late-round pick should be all it takes to bring Carr in, and the Steelers could easily be one of the teams interested. Carr seems interested in returning only if the situation would be worthwhile, and the Steelers are one of the few teams that would likely fit that bill.
Other teams with holes at QB, like the Dolphins, Jets, Browns, and Cardinals (potentially), are all much farther from competing for the playoffs than Pittsburgh, and getting to work with a veteran coach like McCarthy could be a huge draw.
Would Carr be better than the other options at the Steelers disposal? How healthy he really is would be the biggest factor, but he was playing very well in New Orleans before his shoulder gave out. It wouldn't be ideal, but if the Steelers are truly still trying to be competitive, Carr may be one of their best options to do so.