Hall of Fame WR Rips Aaron Rodgers for Delaying Steelers Decision

Cris Carter accuses Rodgers of being 'selfish' and 'self-centered' for making Pittsburgh wait on his future plans.

Apr. 9, 2026 at 3:52am

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A fractured, multi-perspective painting in a cubist style, breaking down the Steelers' quarterback situation into sharp, overlapping geometric planes in shades of blue, gold, and black.A cubist interpretation of the uncertainty surrounding Aaron Rodgers' future with the Pittsburgh Steelers.Today in Pittsburgh

NFL Hall of Fame wide receiver Cris Carter strongly criticized quarterback Aaron Rodgers for delaying his decision on whether to play for the Pittsburgh Steelers next season. Carter accused Rodgers of being 'selfish' and 'self-centered' for making the Steelers wait for the second consecutive offseason on his future plans.

Why it matters

The Steelers are in limbo as they wait for Rodgers to decide if he will join the team for the 2026 season. Pittsburgh is limited in their options to address the quarterback position if Rodgers does not commit, as the upcoming draft class is considered weak outside of the presumptive top pick.

The details

Rodgers has still not decided if he will play in 2026, despite the Steelers hoping for an answer by the end of this month. ESPN insider Adam Schefter believes Rodgers could drag out his decision into May or June, which would be Pittsburgh's 'not ideal' scenario. The Steelers signed Rodgers last June to be their starting QB in 2025 after he spent the first 21 seasons of his career with the Green Bay Packers.

  • Rodgers did not sign with the Steelers until early June last year.
  • The Steelers are hoping for an answer from Rodgers by the end of this month.

The players

Aaron Rodgers

A four-time NFL MVP quarterback who is deciding whether to play a 22nd season, potentially for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Cris Carter

A Hall of Fame wide receiver who criticized Rodgers for delaying his decision and called him 'selfish' and 'self-centered'.

Art Rooney II

The president of the Pittsburgh Steelers, who said the team is hoping to get an answer from Rodgers by the end of this month.

Adam Schefter

An ESPN insider who believes Rodgers could drag out his decision into May or June, which would not be the Steelers' ideal scenario.

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What they’re saying

“You know he wants to play, but he just didn't want to make up his mind. You need some time away from the game. It's been a couple months from the Super Bowl. Now's that time, before the draft, the minicamps. They're an average team in the league. Aaron Rodgers is like a lot of these quarterbacks when they get to this stage. They're so, so selfish. They never want to be called that, but they're so selfish, and they're so self-centered.”

— Cris Carter, Hall of Fame Wide Receiver

“I still expect that. I expect we'll get an answer before the draft.”

— Art Rooney II, Steelers President

“I don't think there's a deadline, but I do think the Steelers would like to know before the draft. I think if Aaron just dragged this into May or June, he could do that.”

— Adam Schefter, ESPN Insider

What’s next

The Steelers will have to decide how high they are willing to select a quarterback in the 2026 NFL Draft if Rodgers remains unsigned by the start of the draft.

The takeaway

This situation highlights the power and leverage that star quarterbacks like Rodgers have over teams, as they can delay decisions and leave organizations in limbo as they weigh their options. It also raises questions about whether Rodgers' approach is fair to the Steelers and their fans who are eager to know the team's plans for the upcoming season.