The Pittsburgh Steelers are still awaiting news on what Aaron Rodgers plans to do next. In the meantime, however, the Steelers don’t plan to sit idle with their arms crossed. As confirmed by general manager Omar Khan, a former Super Bowl champion is now in the team’s crosshairs.
With Rodgers weighing all his options on his NFL future, there isn’t much the Steelers can do but wait. In the meantime, they can focus on other positions on the offensive side of the ball.
In that regard, running back Kenneth Gainwell—who joined the Steelers in 2025, one year removed from his Super Bowl LIX conquest with the Philadelphia Eagles—is now a top priority. As GM Khan admitted, the Steelers have shown their hand to Gainwell’s agent.
“Omar Khan said he’s spoken with Kenneth Gainwell’s agent and ‘he knows we want him back’,” as reported by Mike DeFabo of The Athletic.
Aaron Rodgers is set to make a decision on NFL future
The 2026 NFL offseason is just beginning. There is plenty of time for teams to work things out and put together strong rosters to chase the Vince Lombardi Trophy. However, the Steelers would much rather take care of some pieces of business as soon as possible. Chief among them is figuring out who their starting quarterback will be next season.
If only it were that simple. With Rodgers, it usually isn’t. Pittsburgh has learned its lesson, so it knows better than to force A-Rod’s hand. For the time being, the Steelers can give the future Hall of Famer some space.
Although Rodgers is among the top candidates in the NFL’s free agent quarterbacks class in 2026, there are plenty of options for the Steelers to pursue if the future Hall of Famer opts to steer in a different direction—whether that be retirement or a new destination.