When Aaron Rodgers stopped by The Pat McAfee Show on Thursday, June 24, he seemed candid and genuine about his desire to finally hang up his cleats, for the first time in months. The Steelers acquired him on a one-year deal earlier this month, and the 41-year-old quarterback made it clear that it’s pretty much his last year in the NFL.

“Yeah, I’m pretty sure this is my last season, and that’s why we did just a one-year deal,” Rodgers said when asked about when it is his last year. “Steelers didn’t need to put any extra years on it or anything.” And that means only one thing: after the wrap-up of the 2025 season and Rodgers’ last, the Steelers will once again be looking for a new quarterback.

It’s too early to say whether the Steelers will go hunting for a franchise quarterback in the 2026 NFL Draft—but for now, the roadmap feels clear. Once Rodgers wraps up what’s expected to be his final NFL season, Mike Tomlin and company will likely shift focus to grooming former Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard. And that’s exactly why Rodgers’ mentorship matters. And get this, the 41-year-old veteran would love to help Howard with some things.

“Will’s a rookie, and I pulled him aside during one of the days and said I want to help you as much as possible, but I’m not going to overstep my bounds,” Rodgers said on The Pat McAfee Show on Thursday. “If you want assistance, I’m here, buddy, and I’m going to help you…And if I can help you become a better player this year, that would be an incredible achievement for me.” Ever since the Steelers’ mandatory minicamp, Rodgers has been helping Howard in improving his footwork and talked about a few things that they hadn’t gone through yet.

Now, one thing is certain that before hanging up his cleats for good, Rodgers is keen to develop the next generation of quarterbacks for the Steelers. “Number one, he’s (Howard) real good kid,” Rodgers added. “I mean, he’s a sweet kid. And he’s had a lot of great success at the college level. But I was impressed by him.” Howard is entering the pros fresh off a national championship for Ohio State over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, where he was named Offensive MVP.

The quarterback turned heads in the final year of his collegiate career, recording over 4K yards, 35 TDs, and just 10 picks. And now that he’s getting ready to kick off his rookie season, Rodgers was unequivocal about helping the rookie. “I think there’s definitely some things I can help him with and some things that are different at the pro level,” he continued. “I’d love to help Will and set him up to have a chance to be the guy for the next, who knows, for how long. I think that’s part of the opportunity.”

Howard, on the other hand, also talked about learning from Rodgers and described their time together as a “good vibe.” On paper, it seems like Howard might be the next quarterback after Rodgers. But again, it’s too early to say as the Steelers are reportedly eyeing their franchise quarterback in the 2026 NFL draft.

Mike Tomlin plans to bring a new quarterback after Aaron Rodgers

As an aging Aaron Rodgers announced that this will be his last season, the Steelers will now have to do something about their quarterback room. Fast. Sure, Mason Rudolph and Howard are already on the roster. And no doubt, Rodgers has been candid about developing the young quarterbacks. However, if the reports are accurate, the Steelers might draft their franchise quarterback in 2026. The catch?

Well, Mike Tomlin and Co. have found themselves amidst trade negotiations. Trade for the Dolphins‘ Jalen Ramsey. While it’s definitely uncertain, the rumors are constantly buzzing about a potential trade. And considering Ramsey’s massive contract extension, the Steelers would need to give up draft capital to trade for Ramsey. However, Chris Carter of the Lockdown Steelers Podcast isn’t on board with this.

Carter believes that Ramsey joining the Steelers is unlikely. “I don’t think [Jalen Ramsey joining the Steelers] is that likely,” he said recently. But why? Well, Carter believes that to trade for Ramsey, Mike Tomlin and his crew would need to give up draft capital, and they won’t do it. After all, they are probably planning to draft a QB in 2026.

“The Steelers probably don’t want to come off of any serious draft capital because they want to keep that draft—most of the bigger draft capital—so that they can trade up and get a quarterback next year,” Carter added. To spice things up, a mock draft simulation earlier this week predicted that the Steelers might draft Indiana Hoosiers’ Fernando Mendoza at 15th overall. “He’s not a household name yet but by the time the draft gets here, he should be one of the first four quarterbacks off the board,” Curt Popejoy of the Steelers Wire noted.

With Rodgers possibly hanging up his cleats after the 2025 season, there are a few possibilities. Will Howard could be the starting QB. Or the Steelers will gamble on another quarterback in the draft. Or would there be another surprise?