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NFL 2026 NFL Free Agency During Mike Mc Carthy's 20-minute session Monday, about 17 of those minutes were dedicated to Aaron Rodgers and the quarterback position. Michael Longo / Imagn Images PHOENIX — Mike Mc Carthy and Aaron Rodgers reconnect every couple of days. They talk about life, football and the city of Pittsburgh. Yet, more than anything else, the 62-year-old coach and his former quarterback reminisce on the good times during their 13 seasons in Green Bay. “You know football guys, they talk about the past a lot, ” Mc Carthy said. Advertisement Still, as the Pittsburgh Steelers’ quarterback uncertainty continues into Week 3 of free agency, what does the future hold? That’s really what everyone wanted to talk about when the new coach met with reporters at the NFL’s league meetings in Arizona. During his 20-minute session Monday, about 17 of those minutes were dedicated to Rodgers and the quarterback position. “I would just say he’s in a very positive space, ” Mc Carthy said. “We’ll just continue to engage in conversations. ” Though Mc Carthy offered little new information, he heaped praise on his former quarterback in numerous ways. Read into that what you wish. “There’s such a depth of experience, ” Mc Carthy said of the quarterback who is considering playing his 22nd NFL season. “But his ability to apply that information, that’s probably one of his greatest gifts. He’s a gifted thrower, his accuracy (is excellent). And physically, the Lord blessed him extremely. But his ability to apply information to the line of scrimmage, I think it’s — I hate saying the best, because that term gets thrown around — but I think he’s so unique in that area. ” The first-year Steelers coach also highlighted Rodgers’ “curiosity” off the field. “Whether it’s homeopathic medicine or what’s going on in outer space, he has depths probably as diverse and as deep as not only anyone I’ve ever coached, but I’ve ever worked with, ” Mc Carthy said. “I’ve always admired that about him. ” The Steelers went through a similar process last offseason. Rodgers, then a free agent for the first time, let the indecision linger until he finally signed just ahead of mandatory minicamp in early June. At the time, Rodgers said people in his inner circle were dealing with health problems, and he wanted to spend his offseason helping them. He also explained that when he committed, he wanted to be all in, and until he was ready, he didn’t want to sign. Mc Carthy didn’t divulge much about their conversations when asked why Rodgers hasn’t yet declared whether he’ll play for Pittsburgh in 2026. Advertisement “Just like it was last year, that was very personal, ” Mc Carthy said. “Twenty-five percent of those conversations, every time I talk, it’s still personal. If he wants to share that with you at that time, that’s (up to him), but I’m not going to talk about that. ” A few months ago, the Steelers believed a decision would come sooner than it has. At the NFL Scouting Combine in February, general manager Omar Khan said he didn’t foresee this offseason playing out like last year’s. At the time, the prevailing sentiment throughout the organization — from players, through the coaching staff and up to the top decision-makers — was that they would know in March, and they had confidence Rodgers would return. It still appears to be trending in that direction, based on Mc Carthy’s public comments and conversations behind the scenes. However, no one wants to speak in certain terms, knowing it’s a dangerous game to predict what Rogers will do and when. Though the Steelers would have liked a decision before free agency or early in the process, Rodgers hasn’t yet missed time with teammates or the new staff. That could change next week when the Steelers begin workouts at the team facility. Mc Carthy doesn’t seem concerned about Rodgers’ missing those sessions. “We want to give them the information on how we’re going to operate, ” Mc Carthy said. “Now, (Rodgers is) at that extreme level. I don’t think he had any issues learning the offense the way he did. ” As this process continues, the next important dates to circle are the NFL Draft April 23-26. Having an answer by that point would appear to be important for team planning purposes and roster construction decisions. The offseason work kicks into a higher gear in early April with voluntary OTAs. When Mc Carthy was asked whether he’d be comfortable with Rodgers’ missing OTAs as he did last year, the coach said he didn’t want to get into hypotheticals. Advertisement “I truly understand why you’re asking the questions, ” Mc Carthy said. “I’m just focused on my next conversation with him. ” Asked what the Steelers will do if Rodgers retires — and whether the Steelers even need to engage in that hypothetical — Mc Carthy again didn’t provide many specifics and instead answered generically. “People talk about having a plan, ” Mc Carthy said. “I think you have to have a system of player acquisition. We do at every position, so you’ve got to be able to adjust. You’ve got to be (proactive) with that thought process. So I would like to say that there really aren’t too many scenarios that we haven’t talked about. ” Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle Mike De Fabo is a staff writer covering the Pittsburgh Steelers for The Athletic. Prior to joining The Athletic, he spent three years at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette as a Penguins beat writer, three years covering Purdue football and basketball for CNHI and one season following the Michigan State basketball team to the 2019 Final Four for the Lansing State Journal. Mike is a native of Latrobe, Pennsylvania, the proud home of Steelers training camp, and graduated from American University in Washington, D. C. Follow Mike on Twitter @Mike De Fabo