Aaron Rodgers and Mike McCarthy have reunited in Pittsburgh, but Eric Mangini does not believe nostalgia comes with a no-benching clause.
The former NFL head coach believes McCarthy will not hesitate to turn to rookie Drew Allar if Rodgers becomes the reason the Pittsburgh Steelers are sliding.
On “First Things First,” Mangini argued that McCarthy’s job security would outweigh any loyalty left over from Green Bay.
Mike McCarthy Would Make Tough Aaron Rodgers Call If Need Be, Says Mangini
“I think he absolutely has it in him,” Mangini said on the show when asked whether McCarthy could pivot away from Rodgers. “A hundred thousand percent.”
Mangini then pointed at the pressure surrounding McCarthy in Pittsburgh.
“This is his last chance as a head coach, and he’s going to do whatever’s in his best interest to win,” Mangini said. “As much as things are good right now, he went to Dallas because that cat didn’t want him in Green Bay.”
McCarthy coached Rodgers with the Green Bay Packers from 2006 through 2018, winning Super Bowl XLV together. Green Bay fired McCarthy in 2018, and he later coached the Dallas Cowboys before Pittsburgh hired him in January.
Mangini suggested that history could make McCarthy less sentimental if Rodgers’ struggles get in the way.
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“That’s in the back of your mind,” Mangini said. “It’s like, okay, well, I had to change addresses because you weren’t happy with me. Now, if I’m not happy with you, you know.”
Still, Mangini was not predicting a quick hook after one ugly Sunday.
“Certainly one game, you don’t do it. Ten-game losing streak, you do,” he said. “It’s going to have to be consistent, bad quarterback play.”
Rodgers enters his final season after throwing for 3,322 yards, 24 touchdowns and seven interceptions in 2025. His 71.9 PFN QB Impact score ranked 29th among quarterbacks last season, showing respectable production without exactly putting the position on cruise control.
Drew Allar Gives Steelers an Interesting Backup Plan
The possibility becomes even more intriguing after Allar’s preseason debut Thursday. Pittsburgh’s third-round pick completed 10 of 13 passes for 153 yards and two touchdowns against the Green Bay Packers. He also added a rushing score in the 28-9 win.
One preseason performance does not make Allar the heir apparent overnight, but it does give McCarthy options to work with.
Mangini said a change would require the season to begin slipping away because of Rodgers.
“I think it would have to be the season’s gotten away from him,” Mangini said, before agreeing Rodgers would need to be the root cause while the rest of the team remained functional.
That remains a hypothetical. Rodgers did not play in the preseason opener, and McCarthy has spent the offseason praising what the 42-year-old can still do at his ripe old age.
But if the offense sputters and Allar keeps giving Pittsburgh reasons to be curious, Mangini does not expect old Green Bay memories to protect Rodgers forever. McCarthy may have reunited with his former quarterback for one last ride, but he still plans on steering the car.
