BREAKING: Aaron Rodgers may not return to Pittsburgh Steelers, Will Howard declared QB1

Talk about high hopes. Talk about “keeping people waiting.” Talk about suspense building. Talk about hoping for things to happen that were never meant to be! Long story short: NFL Insiders Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero just reported via X that the Steelers have not received word from Aaron Rodgers on his future.And there is no expectation of a final decision prior to the 2026 NFL Draft. Minicamp is scheduled to begin now under new head coach Mike McCarthy after longtime head coach Mike Tomlin’s departure. And Pittsburgh’s QB1 would be Will Howard, a 2025 draft pick who played behind veteran Aaron Rodgers.Pittsburgh picked Will Howard as their sixth-round, 185th overall pick in 2025. He was a CFP national champion in 2024. He even won the CFP National Championship Game Offensive MVP award in 2025. Come 2025: with no franchise QB in line, and after parting ways with Russell Wilson, the Steelers drafted Howard in the 2025 NFL Draft.However, during training camp, he fractured his hand. The injury did not require any surgery, but he had to sit out of practice for weeks. That waiting period saw Pittsburgh declare Aaron Rodgers as their QB1. He signed a one-year, $13.65M contract with the Steelers in June 2025. Come the 2025 season, Rodgers played so well that he led them to a 10-6 record and even won the AFC North Division title.All through the 2025 season, Howard was placed on the injured reserve. He did not play a single game in 2025. As the 2026 offseason began, Rodgers’ waiting game began… now there is no Mike Tomlin; there is his longtime head coach, Mike McCarthy, with whom he even won a Super Bowl.But no, their waiting game has just been dragging on for the longest time… everyone has expressed their hopes for a 2.0 version of the 2025 season from Rodgers. But the ayahuasca-retreat lover is probably teaching everyone patience [just like an ayahuasca retreat does; it teaches patience, surrender, trust, and acceptance].And that patience probably led several analysts and franchise members to predict that the 42-year-old quarterback would announce his return or retirement decision before the 2026 NFL Draft.With only five days remaining for the draft, the Steelers may have run out of patience. And so, the insiders reported via X: with no word from Rodgers, Mike McCarthy-led Pittsburgh has decided to begin their 2026 minicamp with Will Howard as their starting quarterback.Now this could mean two things: actually three,1. Rodgers could sign a contract in June 2026, like he did last year, but then Pittsburgh GM Omar Khan said that Rodgers’ decision would not take as long as it did last season.2. Steelers could sign another veteran: could their previous veteran QB, Russell Wilson, be in the picture? Or someone else like Jimmy Garoppolo, Cooper Rush, or Tyrod Taylor? Heavy Sports' Erik Anderson reports that if there's a question about Russell Wilson's next landing spot, then it could be Pittsburgh without a doubt.3. They could pick Carson Beck in the 2026 NFL Draft. Now, Beck’s highlights and how he would suit the Steelers?The Athletic’s Mike DeFabo predicts that Pittsburgh could draft Miami Hurricanes quarterback Carson Beck as their fourth-round, 121st overall pick. Reasons: McCarthy is looking for a QB “at the right time,” with long arms, big hands, and a high floor. This could be the right time; now that Rodgers has not declared anything...NBC Sports' Josh Alper reported that Pittsburgh may have clarity about Aaron Rodgers by the time OTAs start on May 18. So, now the postponement has happened from draft day to OTAs. The owner exudes patience. "I wish I could tell you we're at the end of the discussion,"Steelers owner Art Rooney II said on WDVE. "But we're still talking to Aaron [Rodgers], and he's still deciding what he wants to do. I think we're close. He's kind of told us his time frame and what he's going to be up to over the next couple of weeks. I think we'll have an answer soon, let's put it that way."As for Beck’s other traits, he is a 6-foot-4, 233-pounder with 31-inch arms, 10-inch hands, and a 37-6 record as a starter. The Steelers need an experienced starter. Will Howard’s starter record in college was 26-7. Here, Beck defeats him. Could they land Beck? Remains to be seen…Update: Carson Beck undrafted on Day 1 of 2026 NFL Draft.