Despite a little bit of drama, the Steelers still got Aaron Rodgers in the door before OTAs

Gerry Dulac, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on May 17, 2026

Published in Football

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Aaron Rodgers has been in town for nearly 10 days. In that time, he never met with the Steelers, not even to agree to a new contract.

While there was no hard-and-fast deadline for him to tell the team that he was returning, the Steelers had some measure of expectation that Rodgers might declare he was returning for a 22nd season by the start of the NFL combine in late February.

When that didn’t happen, they had, based on their conversations with him, a belief that a decision could come by the start of the NFL Draft on April 23.

When that did not occur either, his future became the subject of much speculation. That escalated when the Steelers placed a seldom-used tender on Rodgers on April 28 — a move designed to protect their ability to receive a compensatory pick if the quarterback signed with another team before July 22.

As it turns out, there was never any question at all.

By agreeing Saturday to a one-year deal worth up to $25 million with $22 million guaranteed, Rodgers officially ended all the conjecture about his future and what the Steelers might do at quarterback in 2026.

His return reunites him with Mike McCarthy, his coach for 13 seasons in Green Bay, and gets him back with the team just in time for the start of organized team activities on Monday.

Which was the plan all along.

Why Rodgers felt compelled to wait this long to agree to a new deal is something for him to explain. But it does explain why the Steelers’ patience with the former league MVP was going to wear thin if he didn’t sign by May 18.

That was the understanding that was in place. That’s why he was in constant communication — McCarthy’s words — with his former coach. That’s why Rodgers was in town for more than a week. That’s why the Steelers didn’t have to meet with him.

That was the plan.

Money was never an issue with the delay. Both sides agreed on a ballpark figure at least a month ago, sources said.

His new contract figure is a 64% increase on what he made last season with the Steelers — $13.65 million in salary with up to $17 million in incentives. But that is way below market value for a quarterback who led his team to a division title and fifth playoff appearance in the past six season.

Rodgers is coming off a season in which he looked like his old self in road victories against Minnesota (in Ireland), Detroit and Baltimore, not to mention the division-clinching victory against the Ravens in Week 18. But there were several bumps along the way, too, including the playoff loss to the Houston Texans.

Nonetheless, the Steelers were willing to wait for Rodgers to announce his return, even though he will be 43 in December. In particular, so was McCarthy.

Why?

He does not want his first season with his hometown team to be any less successful than how the Steelers fared last season, Mike Tomlin’s final year at the helm. He has been given several new weapons for Rodgers to use, including receivers Michael Pittman Jr. and Germie Bernard, plus running back Rico Dowdle.

Despite showing public faith and commitment in developing Will Howard and rookie Drew Allar, McCarthy knows his best chance to succeed in 2026 is with Rodgers.

That was the plan all along.