There's a very easy argument to be made that Mike McCarthy was the best Dallas Cowboys head coach of the last two decades. After all, he led Dallas to three straight 12-win seasons for the first time since the 1990s, when the franchise last advanced past the Divisional Round.
While McCarthy failed to exorcise the Cowboys' playoff demons, he installed a winning culture and brought stability to a franchise that was anything but consistent during the Jason Garrett Era.
McCarthy was a spectator last season, but his track record of success earned him another opportunity, as the Pittsburgh Steelers hired him after Mike Tomlin stepped down. Eager for a rebuild, Steelers fans did not approve of the move, and now McCarthy is inching toward a quarterback decision that could divide the fan base even further.
According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Aaron Rodgers is expected to visit the Steelers over the weekend and "will likely play for them in 2026."
Former Dallas Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy probably wishes Dak Prescott were still his QB
A lot of Cowboys fans may have no ill will toward McCarthy, but it's impossible not to find the humor in him reuniting with Rodgers.
To be fair, re-signing Rodgers is more on the Steelers' front office than McCarthy. However, it's no secret McCarthy was hired to compete immediately. His influence — and built-in relationship with Rodgers — undoubtedly reinforced owner Art Rooney II and general manager Omar Khan's desperate desire to stay relevant instead of embracing a rebuild.
Choosing not to draft and develop a quarterback is one thing. McCarthy and the Steelers believing they'll be good enough with Rodgers is next-level delusion. Their roster is good enough to contend in the AFC North, but last season proved that losing in the Wild Card Round is their ceiling.
Rodgers is a future Hall of Famer, but he was one of the 10-worst QBs in the league last year. Let's dive into the numbers.
According to RBSDM, Rodgers finished 22nd out of 30 QBs in EPA per play (0.064), 28th in success rate (43.8 percent), 22nd in completion percentage over expected (0.0), and 30th in air yards per attempt (6.2).
At 42 years old, Rodgers is so intent on avoiding hits that he routinely gets rid of the ball before plays have time to develop. The Steelers managed to win the AFC North in a brutal year for the division. Don't count on that happening again in 2026.
Pittsburgh should be focused on getting a high draft pick in what is shaping up to be the best quarterback draft in years. Instead, they're choosing the QB that will make them too competitive to land a top-10 pick, but not good enough to actually contend.
McCarthy might be from Pittsburgh, but he has a lot of work to do to win over Steelers fans if the team actually re-signs Rodgers.
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