Ex-Cal Star Aaron Rodgers Has an Open Door to Return to Steelers

It appears we may not have seen the last of Aaron Rodgers on an NFL field.

New Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike McCarthy, who teamed with Rodgers to lead the Green Bay Packers to eight postseason appearances, said he could welcome back the 42-year-old former Cal star for another season with the Steelers.

Asked during his Tuesday news conference if he is open to working again with Rodgers, McCarthy said, “Definitely. I don't see why you wouldn’t.”

Rodgers, who played the 2004 and ’05 college football seasons at Cal, is coming off his 21st NFL season.

Aaron Rodgers with the Steelers this season | Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

After two lost years with the New York Jets, Rodgers played more productively for Pittsburgh, passing for 3,322 yards with 24 touchdowns and just seven interceptions while winning 10 games to help Pittsburgh earn a playoff bid.

McCarthy said he already had talked with the four-time MVP about his plans. Rodgers was noncommittal, according to McCarthy.

"I have spoken to Aaron, and so that's really where we are there. I was able to sit back and watch the games,” McCarthy said. “I watched most of the Pittsburgh games on TV, and I thought he was a great asset for the team.”

No one expects Rodgers to make a quick decision. He rarely has and McCarthy understands he should be given space.

"I think when players are up that stage of their career, they need to step away and decompress," McCarthy said. "I think that's very important.”

The Steelers’ two other current options at this point are career backup Mason Rudolph and Will Howard, a 2025 sixth-round draft pick. Howard was injured las summer and never saw action in a preseason game.

Rodgers, who won a Super Bowl title and the first two of his MVP awards while playing under McCarthy, is one of Cal’s greatest NFL players.

He ended the 2025 season at No. 5 all-time with 66,274 career passing yards and No. 4 with 527 touchdown passes. Rodgers’ career passer rating of 102.2 has him tied with Lamar Jackson for the highest in NFL history.

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