PHOENIX — Long regarded as one of the preeminent offensive minds in the NFL and as a head coach who prefers to call his own plays, Mike McCarthy takes more care than most in the sport’s most important position.
“Everything we do on offense,” McCarthy said Monday, “is built around the quarterback.”
Ironic, then, that McCarthy is unmoved by the fact he’s preparing for his first season as Pittsburgh Steelers coach without knowing with certainty whom his quarterback will be.
Speaking from the site of the NFL owners’ meetings at the posh Arizona Biltmore resort, McCarthy said he talks with Aaron Rodgers regularly — but Rodgers has not committed to returning to the Steelers for a second season.
“I would just say (Rodgers) is in a very positive space,” McCarthy said to a handful of Pittsburgh-based reporters. “We’ll just continue to engage in conversations. We’ve been talking weekly, every couple days.
“We’re talking a lot about his experience (during the 2025 season) in Pittsburgh, so we talk a lot about football. Just talking a lot about where he is in his life right now. That’s kind of what we’re talking about.”
Rodgers’ coach for 13 seasons with the Green Bay Packers, McCarthy said that only a small fraction of the content of his regular chats these days with the 42-year-old, four-time NFL MVP revolve around whether he will re-sign with the Steelers.
McCarthy’s comfort level with Rodgers’ mental aptitude for his craft combined with the familiarity the two share to leave the 62-year-old coach at ease with the fact Rodgers likely won’t formally be part of the organization by the time the voluntary offseason program begins for the Steelers next week.
“I’m comfortable with the dialogue that’s occurred (with Rodgers),” McCarthy said, “and we’ll just keep working.”
