The 2026 NFL Draft begins on April 23.

Aaron Rodgers’ decision to return to the Pittsburgh Steelers, retire or join another team could come any day now.

Steelers reporter Gerry Dulac of The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette wrote on Monday that the four-time MVP’s plans won’t impact what the team does during the draft.

“The Steelers could find out this week if Aaron Rodgers intends to return for the 2026 season to be their starting quarterback, even though his decision will not affect what they might do in the April draft,” Dulac said. “If he does return, that will bring a little more clarity to what the Steelers plan to do at the position. If he doesn’t, that will further muddle their plans for 2026 and could cause them to do something they likely had hoped to avoid – bring in another free-agent quarterback. But it won’t force the Steelers into taking a quarterback in the first round of the draft out of desperation.”

Pittsburgh has 2025 sixth-round pick Will Howard returning in 2026 and met with quarterbacks Carson Beck (Miami), Drew Allar (Penn State) and Ty Simpson (Alabama) during the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis recently.

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Dulac reported Monday that according to his sources, new head coach Mike McCarthy’s “handling of the interviews was detailed, interrogative and impressive.”

“The Steelers have little if no intention of taking a quarterback with their top pick because they think there is only one — Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza — worthy of going in the first round. But just because they wouldn’t draft a quarterback in the first round doesn’t mean they wouldn’t take one from among the four picks they have in Day 2. However, it’s more than likely it wouldn’t be until the third round,” the longtime Steelers reporter wrote. “If Rodgers gives the Steelers his decision this week, that will be the first step toward bringing some clarity to a position that has lacked stability for five years.”

More NFL: Steelers Reportedly Know Aaron Rodgers’ Decision Ahead Of NFL Free Agency

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