Steelers open minicamp without Aaron Rodgers indicating he'll sign, decision not expected before NFL Draft

Ian CasselberryMon, April 20, 2026 at 1:00 PM UTC

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The Pittsburgh Steelers open a three-day minicamp on Monday under new head coach Mike McCarthy and will do so without any indication from quarterback Aaron Rodgers regarding his status for this season.

Rodgers has not informed the Steelers on whether he intends to play for them in 2026, and thus sign a new contract, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero. And that status isn’t likely to change before the NFL Draft, which begins on Thursday.

As a result, Will Howard will get the starter’s work at quarterback. Mason Rudolph is the only other QB currently under contract with the Steelers.

This week’s minicamp is considered voluntary and will consist of working on plays through walkthroughs, rather than team drills, 7-on-7 or 11-on-11 play. The three-day camp will also include individual and group instructions, in addition to some drills. However, offense facing defense in drills is not permitted at this stage of the offseason, per the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement.

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Rodgers’ uncertain status raises the question of whether or not the Steelers might select a quarterback in the NFL Draft. However, they are not expected to use a first-round pick on the position in what is considered a weak class for QBs. Yahoo Sports’ Nate Tice and Charles McDonald project Pittsburgh selecting an offensive lineman in their latest mock draft. If the Steelers do draft a QB, it’s expected it would be in the later rounds.

Pittsburgh did not pursue a quarterback in free agency, which appears to indicate that the team expects Rodgers to return for his 22nd NFL season. Rodgers didn’t sign with the Steelers last year until early June. This year, Pittsburgh’s mandatory minicamp will be held from June 2-4 with the team’s final Organized Team Activities scheduled for June 8-12.

Last season, Rodgers played in 16 games for the Steelers, completing 66% of his passes for 3,322 yards, 24 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Pittsburgh won the AFC North division with a 10-7 record before losing in the wild-card playoff round to the Houston Texans, 30-6.

The day after the Steelers’ season ended, longtime head coach Mike Tomlin resigned after a 19-year stint on the sideline. Nearly two weeks later, Pittsburgh made the surprising choice to hire veteran coach Mike McCarthy as Tomlin’s replacement.

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Source: “AOL Sports”