steelers news is moving fast on Pittsburgh’s quarterback picture for 2026, with a national prediction pointing to a new direction under center. The Pittsburgh Steelers have only two quarterbacks under contract for 2026—Mason Rudolph and Will Howard—leaving a clear need at the position as of 9: 00 a. m. ET on March 9, 2026. With Aaron Rodgers still non-committal about his future, the Steelers are projected to act earlier than they did in 2025, when they waited into June.
Quarterback market tightens as Steelers weigh 2026 options
The central question for Pittsburgh entering this offseason is whether Rodgers will return, and if not, how quickly the Steelers pivot to an alternative. Rodgers kept his future unclear when speaking on the “Pat McAfee Show” on Wednesday, and there is no definitive answer on whether he will play in 2026. He said he continues to work out, but also said no contract has been offered by the Steelers and no deadline has been set for a decision.
The urgency is tied directly to timing: with free agency close, Pittsburgh has limited room to wait without risking that other quarterback options come off the market. In the current free agency class, several names were identified as notable, including the recently-released Kyler Murray and Geno Smith, along with Malik Willis—whose 2025 showing was described as the type of performance that could increase his value.
Prediction points to Malik Willis if Rodgers doesn’t return
Tyler Sullivan, a writer for CBS Sports, predicts the Steelers will not have Aaron Rodgers under center in 2026 and will instead sign free agent quarterback Malik Willis, a former Green Bay Packers quarterback. Sullivan’s view is that Willis is “pegged by many” as a veteran quarterback who could resurrect his career after flashing in spot action with Green Bay over the last few seasons.
Sullivan highlighted Willis’ lone start in 2025 against Baltimore: he completed 85. 7% of his passes for 288 yards and a touchdown, and added 60 rushing yards with two rushing touchdowns. Sullivan wrote that those “shimmers” could draw attention from multiple quarterback-needy teams, including Pittsburgh, and that the Steelers “should try to shoulder themselves to the front of the line” for Willis’ services.
From a broader production snapshot included in the same discussion, Willis’ recent passing efficiency was emphasized: over the last two seasons he completed 70 of 89 pass attempts, and he has also added three rushing touchdowns.
In another summary of Willis’ career to date, he has been in the NFL since 2022, spending two seasons with the Tennessee Titans and two years with the Packers, appearing in 22 games and totaling 1, 322 passing yards with six passing touchdowns.
Immediate reactions: what key voices are saying right now
On the Rodgers front, the most relevant public signal remains his own words on the “Pat McAfee Show” Wednesday: he continues to work out, but indicated no Steelers contract has been offered and no decision deadline has been established.
On the projection itself, Sullivan’s position is clear: he believes Rodgers will retire and that Pittsburgh will respond by signing Willis. In his framing, the Steelers do not have “a ton of time” to wait with free agency approaching, because waiting risks missing other available quarterbacks.
Quick context and what’s next for Pittsburgh
The Steelers are back in the quarterback market for 2026 with only Rudolph and Howard currently under contract. The key variable remains Rodgers’ status, which has not been resolved publicly.
Next steps hinge on whether Pittsburgh sets an internal timeline to avoid a repeat of the 2025 wait into June, while monitoring a free agent group that includes Murray, Smith, and Willis. For now, steelers news is centered on a single pressure point: Rodgers’ decision window versus the pace of the quarterback market as free agency arrives.
