At least for the time being, Mike McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers are back together.
The head coach and quarterback won a Super Bowl together for the Packers in 2011, and now the two have reunited with the Steelers, with the Pittsburgh native McCarthy getting the team’s head coaching job as Rodgers’ future hangs in the balance.
At 42, Rodgers has been taking his career year by year for a while. But following a season that saw the four-time MVP win the AFC North and post his most efficient season since 2021, it’s reasonable to believe Rodgers may return for a 22nd season — despite what the ESPN broadcast of Pittsburgh’s Wild Card loss might have had viewers believe.
McCarthy was asked about the idea of bringing Rodgers back at his introductory press conference on Tuesday, and dispelled any notion of controversy around reuniting with his former signal-caller, confirming he has already spoken with Rodgers since taking the job and calling the mercurial QB a “great asset for the team.”
“Definitely. I mean, I don’t see why you wouldn’t (bring Rodgers back),” McCarthy said. “Just like anything, knowing Aaron long enough, going through seasons, I think when players … are up at that stage of their career, they have to step away and decompress. I think that’s very, very important.”
Reporter: “In your best-case scenario, do you want Aaron Rodgers back as your quarterback next year?”
Mike McCarthy: “Definitely. I mean, I don’t see why you wouldn’t… I watched most of the Pittsburgh games on TV, and I thought he was a great asset for the team.” 🏈🎙️ #NFL pic.twitter.com/mTRMntnHHI
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 27, 2026
Of course, McCarthy understood why the question was being asked. The veteran head coach called the reporter’s strategic question “slick,” and smiled as he answered.
When the Packers fired McCarthy in 2018, NFL Network’s Michael Silver was among many reporters who attributed the decision to the relationship between Rodgers and McCarthy growing stale.
Similar questions have followed Rodgers from Green Bay to New York to Pittsburgh. But McCarthy put his full support behind Rodgers and believes he was a net positive for the Steelers in 2025:
“I watched most of the Pittsburgh games on TV, and I thought he was a great asset for the team.”
Rodgers has so far been mum on his plans for 2026, leaving his options open. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the organization would be open to bringing him back.
About Brendon Kleen
Brendon is a Media Commentary staff writer at Awful Announcing. He has also covered basketball and sports business at Front Office Sports, SB Nation, Uproxx and more.