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Mike McCarthy knows what it's like to coach Aaron Rodgers.
That gave him experience to draw on when he was asked at his introductory press conference as the new Pittsburgh Steelers head coach, would he want Rodgers to come back?
McCarthy's answer was emphatic:
"Definitely. I don't know why you wouldn't."
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Rodgers will turn 43 next season, and there are also thoughts that he may choose to retire. Even if Rodgers doesn't retire, he will be a free agent, so he will have some control over what happens next.
He was believed to have signed with Pittsburgh in large part because he trusted Mike Tomlin, and so when Tomlin departed, it seemed like a bad sign for Rodgers' future in Pittsburgh.
But then the Steelers went and hired McCarthy, who coached the Green Bay Packers when Rodgers was there. They won a Super Bowl together.
That feels like an entirely different level of trust than Rodgers would've had with almost any other hire.
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It's fair to have questions about continuing with Rodgers, of course. He still showed himself a competent QB in 2025, but he's also not getting any younger, and he was dominated by the Texans' defense in the Steelers' playoff loss.
Rodgers' last pass in that game was a pick-six, and he tried to make the tackle but was run right by, so that's likely not a fun memory in his mind.
If he wants to override that with more plays, then he clearly has open arms waiting to welcome him back to Pittsburgh.
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