There’s still a glimmer of hope for the Pittsburgh Steelers to retain Aaron Rodgers, and it seems a new coaching prospect might play a role in making that happen.

On Sunday, ESPN revealed that the Steelers are still “open” to the idea of Rodgers returning for the 2026 season. This contrasts with a report from the NFL Network on Saturday, which suggested that the 42-year-old quarterback’s tenure in Pittsburgh was uncertain.

Despite this openness, Rodgers’ return seems improbable following head coach Mike Tomlin’s resignation after the Steelers’ wild-card loss to the Texans on Monday, as per ESPN. Yet, some players have reportedly voiced their support for the four-time MVP’s comeback.

Complicating the situation further are reports that the Steelers plan to interview Mike McCarthy, who has a history with Rodgers, for their head coaching position.

During their 12-year partnership with the Green Bay Packers, McCarthy was instrumental in Rodgers’ development, leading him to win two of his four MVP titles and securing a Super Bowl victory in the 2010 season.

But their relationship was also polarizing.

In 2019, an anonymous Packers player described it to Bleacher Report as “a large cancer in the locker room.”

McCarthy was relieved of his duties from the Packers midway through the 2018 season.

By the time McCarthy made his return to Lambeau Field as the Cowboys’ head coach in 2022, though, Rodgers said that he was “thankful for those years and thankful maybe a little bit more now as the years go by,” according to an ESPN article at the time.

It’s unclear if Rodgers — who plans to take time before deciding on his future, according to ESPN — would be open to a reunion with McCarthy if the Steelers were to hire the 62-year-old and Pittsburgh native, who has gone 174-112-2 across 18 regular seasons as a head coach.

The Cowboys and McCarthy parted ways after the 2024 season, and he didn’t coach this season.

Rodgers, though, helped the Steelers win the AFC North before crumbling in the opening round of the postseason. He threw for 3,322 yards, 24 touchdowns and seven interceptions this year.

It helped him revive his career after a brutal Achilles injury in 2023 and an underwhelming campaign with the Jets in 2024, looking like a shadow of the future Hall of Famer who won four MVP awards altogether in Green Bay — including another when Matt LaFleur eventually took over.

But even Steelers owner Art Rooney II admitted that Tomlin’s shocking exit — after 19 years as head coach — could impact Rodgers’ decision, telling reporters following the season that Rodgers signed with Pittsburgh in the first place because of Tomlin, “So I think it will most likely affect his decision.”