The Pittsburgh Steelers have made some eye-opening moves this offseason, with perhaps the biggest of the bunch seeing them acquire wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. in a trade with the Indianapolis Colts. After struggling to find a consistent source of production in the passing game behind DK Metcalf last season, the Steelers now have a top-tier combo in him and Pittman.
The problem for Pittman, and Pittsburgh as a whole, is that it doesn’t know who its quarterback will be in 2026, as Aaron Rodgers has continued to drag out his retirement decision. While Pittman knows Rodgers’ future is up in the air, he revealed that he has spoken to the legendary passer since landing with the Steelers. However, it doesn’t sound like their conversations have revolved around football.
Michael Pittman Jr. Opens Up on Aaron Rodgers Conversations
Pittman spent the first six seasons of his career with the Colts, and during his time on the field, he turned himself into one of the more reliable wide receivers in the league. With the team committing $116 million to Alec Pierce this offseason, though, Indy’s front office decided it was time to move on from Pittman.
The Steelers have welcomed him to town with open arms, and it’s not too hard to see why. Even in what was considered a down year by his standards, Pittman caught 80 passes for 784 yards and a career-high seven touchdowns in 2025. Working alongside Metcalf, Pittman appears to be the perfect complement, as his ability to get open in the middle of the field will help free up Metcalf for more big plays down the field.
Of course, Pittman needs a reliable quarterback to get him the football, and even at the age of 42, Rodgers proved himself to still be capable of delivering the goods under center last season. Like many other folks, Pittman is hoping that Rodgers will return for at least one more year, but rather than making a sales pitch to him, the veteran pass catcher opted not to discuss football when chatting with the future Hall of Famer.
“I got to talk to him a couple of weeks ago, and to everybody’s surprise, it was nothing about football,” Pittman shared in an interview with casino.ca. “I didn’t even ask him if he was thinking about coming back, because Aaron has done everything twice. He’s seen it all. If he wants to come back, he’s going to come back. I don’t think there’s anything that I can say to him where he’s like, ‘You know what? I think that I’ll come back now.’ That’s just not going to happen.”
Steelers Still Waiting on Aaron Rodgers’ Decision
CLEVELAND, OHIO – DECEMBER 28: Aaron Rodgers #8 of the Pittsburgh Steelers looks on prior to the game against the Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Field on December 28, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images)
For the second straight offseason, Pittsburgh has found itself playing a waiting game with Rodgers. In a perfect world, the team would know what he’s thinking when it comes to his future, but Rodgers marches to the beat of his own drum. As a result, the team is entering the 2026 NFL Draft without any sort of clarity at the quarterback position.
The Steelers have beefed up their offense this offseason; now they just need someone to come in and lead the way. Even with Rodgers still set to potentially suit up in 2026, Pittsburgh is expected to select a quarterback in the upcoming draft. So while Pittman is happy to be with his new team, it’s clear they still have some work to do in order to ensure they can get the most out of him for the next few years.
Michael Pittman Jr. Sheds Light on Aaron Rodgers Conversations After Steelers Trade