The Steelers have two quarterbacks on the roster and still have none. The franchise is once again sitting by the phone for Aaron Rodgers’ decision. But while the front office waits, a former player and current sportscaster has a different solution for head coach Mike McCarthy to consider.

“How about Derek Carr in Pittsburgh with the Steelers? Comes back, Mike McCarthy; they played in the playoffs last year. Now you couple a DK Metcalf with a [Michael] Pittman, who I like,” three-time Super Bowl champion Mark Schlereth said Monday on his Stinkin’ Truth Podcast. “I think he’s [Carr] tough, I think he’s smart, I think he’s a really good player that probably takes too much of a beating. I think you can win with Derek Carr in the right environment. I just think that makes sense to me.”

Derek Carr chose to hang up his cleats rather than undergo surgery after an injury-plagued 2024 season. He missed seven games due to a combination of oblique and hand injuries. And then, when the 2025 offseason arrived, examinations revealed a labral tear and significant degenerative changes to his rotator cuff. 

However, the retired quarterback is ready for a comeback. He has said he would consider returning for the “right situation.” That’s a situation that gives him a real shot at a Super Bowl ring. The Steelers, with their playoff pedigree, could be exactly the kind of team that convinces him to pad up again.

But before everyone raises their nay cards for Carr, let’s seriously consider what he brings to the table. Over 11 seasons in the league, he has been a reliable QB. Not the quarterback who makes magic on every play, but one who does not blow up the game plan either.

Derek Carr has started all 169 games he has played in and holds a 77-92 record. But he has a 65.1% career completion rate, 41,245 passing yards, and 257 touchdowns. So, he could serve as a reliable bridge quarterback. He would be a great fit to hold the starting role while the organization develops a younger signal-caller.

That arrangement would actually work in everyone’s favor. Mike McCarthy, well-known for his track record of developing young quarterbacks into championship-level players, could focus on nurturing the younger QB on the roster while Carr provides stability at the top. For Carr, he gets a comeback he has hinted at wanting.

And as Schlereth pointed out, that “right environment” matters. Wide receivers DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr. could be precisely the kind of pass-catchers that reignite Carr’s competitive fire. It will be like 2016 again, just with a better ending.

In 2016, Carr was at the peak of his career and ended the Raiders’ 13-year playoff drought. And his connection with Amari Cooper was a driving force behind that run. However, it ended when Carr suffered a broken fibula in Week 16 and was ruled out for the season. Without him, Oakland fell to the Texans 27-14 in the Wild Card round. 

Nearly a decade later, an injury ended his career altogether. So, keeping Carr healthy will be of utmost importance for Pittsburgh if they can convince him to suit up again. So, the Steelers can afford to explore this option quietly while they continue waiting on Rodgers. Because by all accounts, that wait is far from over.

Pittsburgh is still waiting, and Aaron Rodgers is in no rush

Mike McCarthy has had positive conversations with Aaron Rodgers since taking over in Pittsburgh, and the two share a long history. NFL insiders widely expect the Steelers to remain interested in bringing Rodgers back for another run. But as the front office waits, one report has surfaced suggesting Pittsburgh could look at the quarterback position in April.

“The Steelers take a quarterback at 21; they’ve done all the quarterback homework, it’s not going to affect,” NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport said on the recent The Insiders podcast. “Aaron Rodgers said on the McAfee show, it’s not going to affect his decision at all. So if the Steelers take one, it’s not going to say, ‘All right, now I’m going to retire.’  This is everything he told us in a nutshell, which is, ‘I know you’re watching me. I know you’re interested. You’re going to have to keep waiting.'”

Two things stand out from Rapoport’s update. First, Rodgers is going to make the Steelers wait. But the good news is that no external move will drive his decision. Second, the idea of drafting a quarterback at No. 21 overall has entered the conversation.

The first one is an obvious observation. The second one seems highly unlikely. Pittsburgh already has quarterbacks: Mason Rudolph and Will Howard. Rudolph has spent enough time in Pittsburgh’s system to understand its nuances and fits naturally into the backup role. 

Howard, meanwhile, did not take a single snap in his rookie season but remains a priority for McCarthy heading into 2026. The last thing this team needs is another young quarterback competing for reps before Howard has even had a proper chance to prove himself.