Steelers' Mike McCarthy Is Sick And Tired Of Answering Questions About Aaron Rodgers

The Pittsburgh Steelers are entering an entirely new era with Mike McCarthy at the helm. This is a historic moment for the franchise, as they have not had a new head coach since Mike Tomlin was hired back in 2007. It is rare for Pittsburgh to not only welcome in a new coach, but also undergo such a significant transition in leadership, marking a clear shift in direction for one of the NFL’s most stable organizations.

Along with the coaching change, the Steelers are in position to quickly improve their roster with young, talented prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft. They are loaded up with 12 picks, giving them a strong opportunity to reshape the team with an infusion of youth and depth. Between free agency moves and their draft capital, Pittsburgh has the tools to accelerate this transition and build a roster that fits McCarthy’s vision.

Aside from roster building, the biggest question remains whether Aaron Rodgers is truly going to return for the 2026 season. Rodgers led the Steelers to a well above average 10-7 regular season, but he failed to end their playoff win drought. Now, with his former head coach surprisingly in Pittsburgh, the possibility of Rodgers coming back for one more run is heating up. Steelers insider Gerry Dulac revealed to Brian Batko on the Chipped Ham & Football show on Thursday that McCarthy made it clear he is tired of answering Rodgers questions.

"So, quite naturally, uh, you know, the bulk of the questions when we met with them the day before the Coaches Breakfast were all about Aaron Rogers," Dulac said while speaking with Batko. "You know, his relationship with him, how often he talks to him, what do you think of him, what do you admire about him, is he coming, uh, how long’s it going to take, what if he doesn’t come? I mean, you know, are you certain he’s coming? What’s plan B? So, you know, that was the bulk of our first meeting with them."

Dulac described the first meeting between the media and McCarthy as being filled with questions he has already answered several times about Rodgers. Dulac made it clear that McCarthy wasn’t being cruel or rude, but he did ask the media to not ask any more questions relating to him. 

He emphasized that the focus should remain on the current roster, upcoming preparation, and team development rather than repeatedly revisiting the same storyline surrounding Rodgers and moving forward as team.

"So quite naturally, then the national media wave comes through and they want to ask him about Aaron Rogers," Dulac said. "And he kind of made a joke where he said, he answered one of them. He goes, 'Okay.' He says, 'Anymore? Good, because that’s all I’m talking about Aaron Rogers.' And he kind of, yeah, he was basically like, 'We’re good now, guys, right? Right, kind of covered it. There’s no other avenues to cover here on this one.' And he made a joke about it. You know, he wasn’t being malicious."

Steelers Excited To Get Past The Noise Surrounding Aaron Rodgers

As the Steelers move forward under McCarthy, the focus will shift toward establishing a new identity built on consistency, development, and maximizing the talent already on the roster. With a strong draft position and significant capital in the 2026 NFL Draft, Pittsburgh has a clear path to reshape its future while embracing this new chapter in leadership.

At the same time, the uncertainty surrounding Rodgers continues to linger as one of the team’s defining storylines. Whether he returns or not, the Steelers appear prepared to move ahead with or without him.

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