Mike McCarthy coached quarterback Aaron Rodgers for nearly 13 seasons with the Green Bay Packers. The union ended on a sour note with McCarthy fired midseason in 2018. But after initially wondering if that could prevent Rodgers from returning to the Pittsburgh Steelers for 2026, pundits haven’t speculated the McCarthy-Rodgers relationship as an issue.
Well, at least most pundits haven’t.
Go Long’s Tyler Dunne did while appearing on 93.7 The Fan on Monday. He shared that a source familiar with both Rodgers and McCarthy didn’t see the two pairing up with the Steelers as a good idea.
“[The source said] they’ll be at each other’s throats and fighting in no time,” Dunne said on 93.7 The Fan, via Steelers Now’s Brendan Howe. “And he saw this up close, so I’m sure they’ll say all the right things if they are rejoining forces here, and who knows, there will be good times.
“But the season is a marathon, look across the AFC, look in your own division. It’s hard to see this ending well for any party involved.”
Is Aaron Rodgers Playing for Mike McCarthy Not a Good Idea?
Rodgers came to finish his NFL career with the Steelers in large part because of Mike Tomlin. When Tomlin departed in January, it seemed unlikely Rodgers would return for 2026.
But the Steelers then surprisingly hired McCarthy. There arguably isn’t a stronger link in the NFL to Rodgers.
The quarterback won his first two MVP awards and the Super Bowl while playing for McCarthy.
But toward the end of McCarthy’s tenure in Green Bay, there was reportedly friction between the head coach and quarterback according to Dunne. The team repeatedly fell short in the postseason from 2011-16. In 2018, the Packers bottomed out with a 6-9-1 record
“It was bad,” Dunne added of the final McCarthy-Rodgers season in Green Bay. “We’re talking seven, seven and a half years ago, so it’s been a while. As time passes, maybe the heart grows fonder.
“The analogies that we’ve kicked around at Go Long, it’s middle-aged man on Facebook, looking up the old high school flame, out of options, not really sure where to turn.”
Does Rodgers Have a Deadline for His 2026 Playing Decision?
The Steelers have yet to give the 4-time MVP quarterback a hard deadline on his 2026 playing decision. The organization has, through the media, given Rodgers soft deadlines, but the quarterback has blown through all of them to date without repercussions.
On Monday, Rodgers appeared to get another soft deadline for his 2026 decision.
“I think the next date that we should have circled on our calendars is May 18,” ESPN’s Brooke Pryor reported during Monday’s SportsCenter, via Bleacher Report’s Timothy Rapp. “That is the start of the Steelers next phase of organized team activities. I believe that’s the date the Steelers have circled.
“So some things could come together in the next week, but so far it has not.”
93.7 The Fan reported Thursday that Rodgers planned to visit the Steelers and potentially sign a new contract over the weekend. The team held rookie minicamp from May 8-10.
But a meeting didn’t happen. Rodgers remains a free agent.
The Steelers will hold organized practice sessions on May 18, 20 and 21. The team will have more offseason workouts right after Memorial Day weekend.
Pittsburgh’s mandatory minicamp is scheduled for June 2-4.
Steelers Put on Notice Over Mike McCarthy-Aaron Rodgers Reunion