For five years now, the Steelers have cycled through quarterbacks without ever finding a permanent answer. The team moved on from Ben Roethlisberger to Kenny Pickett to Russell Wilson and now to Aaron Rodgers. Yet each year, the same question resurfaces: what happens when the quarterback cannot perform, or worse, keeps the team waiting on a decision the way Rodgers has done for the second offseason in a row?

“Just like 2025, there doesn’t appear to be a Plan B, and incoming head coach Mike McCarthy will be desperate to get the band back together,” TalkSport US sports writer Jamie Gordon wrote on March 21.

Pittsburgh currently has two quarterbacks on its roster: Will Howard and veteran Mason Rudolph. But the team is still waiting for Rodgers, as neither of the two available options is reportedly capable of leading the franchise. That reality has become a talking point across Steel City, with fans and analysts split on how long the wait should continue.

A large section of the Pittsburgh fanbase wants a young quarterback to take the reins and build something lasting. But the Steelers front office has made it clear they want Rodgers back badly enough to engineer the perfect conditions for his return.

Since the season ended, the organization has publicly kept the door open for him. They also hired Mike McCarthy, since Rodgers’ original choice to join Pittsburgh in 2025 was partly motivated by his relationship with then-head coach Mike Tomlin. McCarthy, who spent almost 13 years coaching Rodgers in Green Bay, brings a familiar connection that the Steelers are hoping tips the scales.

However, if the Steelers keep waiting on Rodgers without building a contingency plan and he ultimately says no, the pressure on McCarthy rises fast. The Super Bowl-winning coach arrives in Pittsburgh carrying expectations that come with his resume, and a void at quarterback would put him in a difficult position.

But there are contrasting views on how the Steelers are actually approaching their lack of a plan B. Many analysts speculate that the franchise may quietly build confidence in Howard as a developmental option behind a veteran starter.

However, Will Howard, the Steelers’ sixth-round pick from 2025, is yet to take his first NFL snap. So, despite GM Omar Khan and Mike McCarthy’s high confidence in Will, he isn’t the endgame for the Steelers.

Analyst Mike Florio also believes that the Steelers will not go with Will as their starting QB for 2026, a sentiment he also confirmed on Pro Football Talk.

“All that Will Howard stuff is just smoke.”

However, until the Steelers’ front office confirms what they plan to do at the quarterback position, everyone will speculate. Because they have put all their faith in Rodgers coming back, Pittsburgh is facing heavy scrutiny as they don’t have any solid quarterback plans.

So, while there can be as many analysts and insiders scrutinizing Art Rooney II and Omar Khan, it will all end once Aaron Rodgers makes a final decision.

“I’ve talked to (Steelers coach) Mike (McCarthy), I’ve talked to (Steelers general manager) Omar (Khan). There’s been no deadline that’s been put in front of me,” Rodgers said during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show.

“There’s no contract offer or anything. So there’s nothing I’m having to debate between. I’m a free agent. Again, I’m enjoying my time with my wife and enjoying this part of the offseason. I think there are conversations to be had down the line. But right now, I’m not. There haven’t been any progressive conversations.”

With the quarterback situation still unresolved, a new name has now entered the conversation: Shedeur Sanders. In a twist, former Steelers cornerback Joe Haden has publicly sided with Sanders over the very quarterbacks Pittsburgh currently employs.

Joe Haden sides with Shedeur Sanders over Pittsburgh’s QB room

At last year’s NFL Draft, the Steelers held three picks before Shedeur Sanders came off the board, and they did not use a single one to address the quarterback position in a meaningful way. The team waited until the sixth round to select Howard.

Now, Sanders is across the division starting games, while Howard has yet to take a professional snap. So, former Steelers cornerback Joe Haden has made his preference abundantly clear.

“To win in this NFL, you need a quarterback,” Haden said. “Right now, I like the Browns’ quarterback a little bit better than the Steelers’ quarterback. We’ve gotta see what Will Howard does. My quarterback, Shedeur, is a little bit better than [the Steelers’] quarterback.”

That’s a huge statement, particularly given the franchise Haden is vouching for. Cleveland is historically one of the most dysfunctional teams in the league when it comes to managing the quarterback spot. Since 1999, the Browns have had 42 different starting quarterbacks.

Yet despite that backdrop, Sanders finds himself in a better position entering his sophomore year. In his rookie season, he appeared in eight games, started seven, and posted a 3-4 record. He completed 56.6% of his passes for 1,400 yards, throwing seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

Meanwhile, Howard enters year two with no professional experience at all. He did not receive a single snap during the last regular season.