The Pittsburgh Steelers are again in a quarterback dilemma. For the second straight offseason, the franchise is waiting on a decision from Aaron Rodgers, and the uncertainty continues to drag on. Because of that lingering doubt, a Hall of Fame defensive back believes head coach Mike McCarthy should stop waiting and move forward without the veteran quarterback.

“What is it with these ex-Green Bay Packer quarterbacks that they have to be talked about all the time?” Former cornerback Rod Woodson, who played 17 seasons in the NFL, 10 of them with the Steelers, said on the latest The Rich Eisen Show. “Because Brett Favre was that way for years.”

He then expanded on his frustration with the ongoing uncertainty surrounding Rodgers, “Is he going to play? And listen, I get kind of tired of it. Like, listen, if he’s going to play, say he’s going to play; he’s going to come back. He shouldn’t, and the team shouldn’t wait for Aaron Rodgers. They need to move forward.”

Woodson’s criticism didn’t come from nowhere. Back in 2008, Favre had just delivered one of the strongest seasons of his Hall of Fame career. Despite that momentum, he chose to retire from the NFL in March. However, Favre had a second thought, and the Green Bay Packers wanted clarity. The organization asked Favre to decide early in March if he intended to keep playing so the franchise could determine whether to continue with him or finally hand the job to Rodgers, the first-round pick they had been grooming since 2005.

But Favre didn’t share any decision. Then months later, in July, he contacted Green Bay, but for an unconditional release from his contract. That placed then-General Manager Ted Thompson in a difficult position. Thompson refused to grant the release and instead announced Rodgers as the Packers’ new starting quarterback.

Then, after a complicated back-and-forth, to end the saga, Green Bay even offered Favre a “$20 million marketing agreement” to remain retired. That proposal failed to resolve the issue. Favre applied for reinstatement on July 29, returned to training camp the following week, and eventually the Packers agreed to move on. Soon after, he was traded to the New York Jets.

Compared to Rodgers’ current situation, there are some similarities. Since the season ended, the Black and Gold are waiting for Rodgers to reveal his plans. Rumors and speculation continue to fill the gap left by silence. However, during Thursday’s episode of Good Morning Football, Ian Rapoport shared a possible timeline for the decision.

“My understanding was Aaron Rodgers had planned to inform these Steelers of his decision at some point before the draft with plenty of time,” Rapoport said. “I would say likely end of this month.”

Now, this delay creates real complications for the Steelers. When Aaron Rodgers signed a one-year deal last year with the Steelers, it felt like the beginning of the end. The Steelers’ Diva himself hinted that the season might be his last. But things changed once the games started. The veteran quarterback still had plenty left in the tank, and suddenly the idea of one more run didn’t seem so far-fetched. Now, the buzz around Pittsburgh is growing louder.

According to Steelers insider Mike DeFabo of The Athletic, people inside the organization believe an answer from Rodgers could come sometime this month. Right now, the team technically doesn’t have a confirmed QB1. Still, their recent moves tell a different story. The Steelers traded for Michael Pittman Jr. from the Indianapolis Colts, pairing him with DK Metcalf to give the offense two serious weapons on the outside. It’s the kind of move a team makes when it believes its veteran quarterback will be back under center.

Rodgers has also stayed connected with head coach Mike McCarthy, the man who coached him for years in Green Bay during their Super Bowl run. According to insiders Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero, and Mike Garafolo, the two have spoken several times about what the future might look like. And as Pelissero put it, the odds of Rodgers playing in 2026 keep climbing. After the way he performed in 2025, it’s starting to feel like one more season could really happen.

But if Rodgers doesn’t make his decision, the team can’t plan for the quarterback situation. That urgency feels even stronger after the team already missed out on a promising quarterback prospect in last year’s draft.

Rod Woodson called out the Steelers’ missed QB opportunity in 2025

As the Pittsburgh Steelers continue searching for clarity at quarterback, Rod Woodson believes the franchise already let a major opportunity slip away. The Hall of Famer recently pointed to the 2025 draft, where Pittsburgh passed on Jaxson Dart, who many believed fit the team’s long-term identity.

“Last year, Rich, they should have took Jackson Dart,” Rod Woodson said on the latest The Rich Eisen Show. “He fell to him. It was the best opportunity for them to take a quarterback who has that swag that can kind of fit into that Steeler mold and that Steeler culture and have that standard. And they took the defensive end or defensive tackle, excuse me. And they didn’t. So now, what are they looking for? They’re looking for the quarterback of the future still.”

Back in the 2025 offseason, Pittsburgh had strong links to Jaxson Dart throughout the pre-draft process, and many around Steel City expected the team to make the move. However, the situation unfolded differently once the draft began. The New York Giants traded up and grabbed Dart at No. 25 overall, while the Black and Gold used the No. 21 pick on defensive tackle Derrick Harmon.

Later in the season, Dart stepped into the starting role in Week 4 and showed potential. He had a passer rating of 91.7 with 2,272 yards, 15 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions in 14 games in 2025.

Interestingly, Woodson was not the only voice raising concerns about that decision. Months earlier, former defensive lineman Breiden Fehoko shared a similar opinion on social media.

“I really think the Steelers should’ve took Jaxson Dart at 21 even knowing Aaron was still coming,” Fehoko posted on X. “It would’ve been huge to let him learn under a HOF QB for a year.”

Now the conversation circles back to the present. The Black and Gold still hold a valuable first-round selection at No. 21, which could again open the door for a quarterback, such as Alabama’s Ty Simpson. However, before making that decision, the franchise still waits for a clear answer from Aaron Rodgers, leaving Steeler Nation in a familiar spot once again.