What will Mike McCarthy's offense look like in 2026?
Pittsburgh Steelers beat reporter Brooke Pryor of ESPN revealed what the team's biggest storyline for 2026 is.
Pryor wants to know what Mike McCarthy's offense will look like next season.
"What will Mike McCarthy's offense look like? The Steelers' new head coach and his staff spent the offseason meticulously laying the foundation for the offense through classroom and on-field work," Pryor wrote. "In the process, he has dropped a few breadcrumbs about what to expect from his unit -- primarily that he's going to craft it around Aaron Rodgers. At 42, Rodgers isn't the same player McCarthy last coached in 2017. Though McCarthy assured reporters Rodgers still has otherworldly arm strength, the quarterback averaged a career-low 5.8 air yards per attempt in 2025.
"McCarthy will be tasked with maximizing Rodgers' strengths at this stage of his career in how he uses wide receivers DK Metcalf, Michael Pittman Jr. and Germie Bernard, as well as running backs Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle and tight ends Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington."
McCarthy and Rodgers won Super Bowl XLV against the Steelers as members of the Green Bay Packers. Neither guy has been back to the Super Bowl since.
Rodgers put up 3,322 passing yards, 24 passing touchdowns and seven interceptions last season. The NFL legend completed 65.7% of his passes.
The Steelers won the AFC North in 2025, but they lost to the Houston Texans in the wild-card round of the playoffs.
Pittsburgh helped Rodgers this offseason by acquiring Michael Pittman Jr. from the Indianapolis Colts. Rodgers will target Pittman Jr., Robert Tonyan, D.K. Metcalf, Darnell Washington, Pat Freiermuth and Roman Wilson next season.
"I think we were close last year," Rodgers said. "I think we added some good pieces. I felt like we needed a lineman probably at some point, drafted a guy in the first round that I like. I thought we needed somebody who could work in the slot. Obviously, Germie (Bernard), being picked there, is a guy they think can do it. Bring in (Michael) Pittman, was obviously a good addition. Rico Dowdle, Jamel (Dean) on defense. (Jaquan) Brisker as well, so a lot of good pieces added to the mix."
Rodgers has been in the NFL since 2005. He has played for the Packers, New York Jets and Steelers and has 527 career passing touchdowns and 66,274 career passing yards in the regular season.
Rodgers hasn't won a playoff game since the 2020 season, while the Steelers haven't won a postseason game since the 2016 season. It will be intriguing to see how Rodgers and Co. perform in 2026.
A four-time MVP, Rodgers will retire from the NFL after next season. Will he go out on top or lose to Father Time?
Only time will tell.
