The Pittsburgh Steelers recently hired Mike McCarthy to replace Mike Tomlin as their new head coach. They should now turn their focus towards addressing their quarterback situation, because even if Aaron Rodgers returns, they are still missing a long-term option. A recent 2026 NFL Mock Draft believes it has found a solution to their problem.
2026 NFL Mock Draft Predicts a New QB For the Steelers to Kick Off Mike McCarthy Era
McCarthy has found plenty of success with quarterbacks during his NFL career, including Aaron Rodgers with the Green Bay Packers and Dak Prescott with the Dallas Cowboys. This may have played a role in the Steelers’ decision to hire him amid their uncertainty at the most important position.
It’s unclear at this point if he will reunite with Rodgers in Pittsburgh, but either way, the legendary veteran’s days are surely numbered as retirement approaches. This means that McCarthy should still be seeking a long-term quarterback, even if it means playing behind Rodgers for a season.
A recent 2026 NFL Mock Draft from PFSN predicts that they will find one with the 21st overall pick in the first round.
Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson is the projected pick to develop into their franchise quarterback under McCarthy’s guidance. He profiles as a safe prospect with a relatively high floor, but the risk involved with picking him in the first round is his potentially low ceiling.
Simpson spent all four seasons of his college football career with Alabama, but was only their starter in 2025. He didn’t record a single touchdown pass across his first three seasons, though he did rush for three of them. His lone campaign as a starter included 28 passing touchdowns and two more on the ground, bringing his career total to 33 touchdowns overall, while playing in the elite SEC.
McCarthy is an offensive coach and is considered to be a specialist in working with quarterbacks. This could benefit Simpson’s outlook as a prospect in a favorable situation, on a team that made it to the playoffs last year, so they obviously have a relatively strong roster.
They made their postseason run with Rodgers as their starter, but it’s unclear if he will return for another season. He did so amid a mediocre season in which he finished 29th among all quarterbacks in the PFSN NFL QB Impact Rankings.
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If he were to come back for another year, it would theoretically give Simpson more time to develop his game and learn from one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history.
