Pittsburgh Steelers may go back to the Green Bay Packers well one more time, but it won’t be for a member of the coaching staff
There is a certain name to watch in Green Bay.
Right now, the Pittsburgh Steelers are in a holding pattern. Aaron Rodgers could be back in 2026 given the string of hirings made by the Steelers brass, none of which matter more than Mike McCarthy.
If by some chance Rodgers is not the answer in 2026, the Steelers don’t have look far, as Will Howard is waiting in the wings. But there is a third avenue. An external addition, that can come through the NFL Draft, or free agency. If it’s the latter of those two, then there is one obvious name.
Malik Willis named candidate for Steelers QB job
“Mike McCarthy has said he wants Aaron Rodgers back and that he likes Will Howard as a developmental option. But if Rodgers doesn’t return, Willis could work as a viable bridge option with long-term potential.” – Wendell Ferreira, A to Z Sports Green Bay
Now, if you remember Malik Willis from the draft, you probably remember the smoke that the Steelers loved him. That obviously wasn’t the case as the team used the 20th overall pick on Kenny Pickett, and Willis fell to the Tennessee Titans in the third round.
It wasn’t pretty in Tennessee, as Willis didn’t resemble much of a starting quarterback, before being traded to the Green Bay Packers. In 2025, Willis started multiple games for Green Bay while Jordan Love was injured and he put on an absolute show.
Malik Willis looked like a starting quarterback with the Packers
Willis completed a shocking 85% of his passes while throwing for 422 yards and no Touchdowns over the course of four games while logging only one start. He was just as dynamic with his legs, torching the Baltimore Ravens for 60 yards and a pair of TDs on the ground.
At only 26 years old and with plenty of untapped potential, Willis showed signs of starting caliber play in this league last year. If nothing else, he could be the perfect bridge option for the Steelers as they search for the signal caller of their future post-Aaron Rodgers.