Rodgers, McCarthy Reunite in Pittsburgh for 2026 Season

Why it matters locally: The reunion of former Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and head coach Mike McCarthy in Pittsburgh will be a significant talking point for Wisconsin residents, particularly Packers fans, given their intertwined and successful history with the franchise.

Aaron Rodgers and Mike McCarthy will join the Pittsburgh Steelers for the 2026 NFL season, marking a reunion for the Super Bowl-winning quarterback and head coach. Rodgers, who played for the Steelers in 2025, returns for his second season with the team after posting 3,322 passing yards, 24 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions. McCarthy, a Pittsburgh native, assumed the Steelers' head coaching position in January 2026 following Mike Tomlin's resignation. McCarthy initially joined the Green Bay Packers as head coach in January 2006, during Rodgers' second NFL season. McCarthy, a former quarterbacks coach, oversaw Rodgers' development as a backup to Brett Favre. In McCarthy's first season, the Packers finished 8-8. The team improved to 13-3 in 2007, losing in the NFC Championship Game. Rodgers became the Packers' starting quarterback in 2008 after Favre's departure. In their first season as a coach-quarterback duo, Green Bay finished 6-10. Rodgers recorded over 4,000 passing yards, 28 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions. The duo made their first playoff appearance in 2009, finishing 11-5 and setting a franchise record with 461 points. Rodgers threw for 4,434 yards and 30 touchdowns, earning his first Pro Bowl selection. The Packers lost to the Arizona Cardinals 51-45 in the Wild Card round. The pinnacle of their time in Green Bay came in 2010. The Packers, a No. 6 seed with a 10-6 record, advanced through the NFC playoffs, defeating the Philadelphia Eagles (21-16), Atlanta Falcons (48-21), and Chicago Bears (21-14). Green Bay then secured a 31-25 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLV. Rodgers earned Super Bowl MVP honors with 304 passing yards and three touchdowns, becoming the third player in NFL history to exceed 1,000 passing yards in a single postseason. The Packers followed their Super Bowl win with a 15-1 regular season in 2011, leading the NFL in points. Rodgers won MVP, throwing for 4,643 yards and 45 touchdowns. However, Green Bay lost to the New York Giants 37-20 in the Divisional Round, becoming the first 15-win team to not win the Super Bowl. From 2012 to 2014, the Packers won three consecutive NFC North titles. Rodgers signed a $110 million extension in 2013 and earned his second MVP award in 2014 with 4,381 yards, 38 touchdowns, and five interceptions. The team reached the NFC Championship Game in 2014, losing to the Seattle Seahawks 28-22 in overtime after relinquishing a 19-7 fourth-quarter lead. McCarthy also received an extension during the 2014 season. Green Bay made the playoffs as a wild card in 2015, losing to the Cardinals in the divisional round. In 2016, the Packers won the NFC North at 10-6, reaching the NFC Championship Game before falling to the Atlanta Falcons. Rodgers dealt with injuries in 2017, and the Packers missed the playoffs with a 7-9 record. McCarthy was fired during the 2018 season after the team started 4-7-1. His Packers tenure concluded with a 125-77-2 regular season record and a 10-8 postseason record, including one Super Bowl championship and nine playoff appearances. McCarthy took a year off in 2019 before becoming the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys in 2020. In their only post-Packers matchup, Rodgers' Packers defeated McCarthy's Cowboys 31-28 in overtime during Week 10 of the 2022 season. Rodgers threw for 224 yards and three touchdowns in that contest. Rodgers later joined the New York Jets in 2023, then the Steelers in 2025. McCarthy departed the Cowboys after the 2024 season before accepting the Steelers' head coaching role in January 2026.